Torching Heaven
by Negligible1
Summary: Abandoned by Igneel, alone in the world, Natsu was not found by Makarov and Fairy Tail, instead he was found by the dark guild Torched Heaven. Now, years later, he has risen to fame as Salamander, the most notorious, dangerous and powerful member of his guild. A meeting with Erza Scarlet will herald the beginning of a new chapter in his life. Be ready, or you'll get burned.
1. Torched Heaven

**Disclaimer:**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended

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**Chapter 1: Torched Heaven.**

A teal glass orb rolled, cracked into a hundred pieces, then was restored to its former pristine form, all done by the same purple haired young woman who watched it pouting with boredom.

"Ultear, stop playing around during the meeting!" one of her many elders in the room snapped.

"But I'm bored" the woman, Ultear, drawled "Aren't you Siegrain-sama?" she rolled the orb along her arm and up on top of her head with her magic.

Meetings of the Magic Council were not the most interesting of events, even when interesting things were happening they tended to be dull, and currently nothing was happening, at least nothing that wasn't either already going on beforehand or unknown to the Council, so this meeting was particularly boring. Well, apart from one single matter on the agenda, and on every agenda for at least the past two years and maybe even longer than that.

"Yeah, I'm bored too" Siegrain, a spiky blue haired young man with a strange tattoo like marking over one eye, said with a smirk, calmly watching the proceedings as if everyone else weren't glaring at the two of them, the youngest of the councillors "I hope someone will cause some kind of trouble."

"W-watch your mouth!"

"How could these brats become council members?" an old man grumbled quietly.

"Cause our magical power is high, old man" but Sieg heard him.

"You!" Org, an elderly man with grey hair and a long beard, who only ever seemed to have a single eye open, glared darkly at Siegrain.

"Silence, both of you" Org backed down and turned to the other member, non to happy "The magical world is always filled with many problems, but we especially need to take care of, _that man_…"

Amused smiles spread across the faces of Siegrain and Ultear.

"The one they call, Salamander."

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Far away, in the port city of Hargeon, a pink haired man stumbled out of a train, falling to his knees the second he was on solid earth.

"E-excuse me sir" a conductor asked hurrying over to the kneeling man "Are you okay?"

The man looked up, his face green "Do I look okay?" he asked testily "Argh, I hate trains!" he struggled to his feet holding his stomach. He stumbled past the conductor, who watched a moment longer before moving on, his stomach still rolling and the persistent sensation of rocking was not helping.

Most people only got such a sensation after spending a sometime on a boat but he got it after using any form of transportation and it would stick with him for a good few hours making him feel sick for the entirety of that time.

"Fuck" he cursed, loud enough for nearby people to glare at him for his foul language. But he only sighed "What am I even doing here?" he complained loudly… then paused.

He had already forgotten.

"Dammit, Master's gonna be so pissed!"

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Erza Scarlet, known across Fiore and its criminal underworld as the Fairy Queen Titania, whose hair was red as the Scarlet in her name, was a young armour wearing S-Class Mage, belonging to the renowned guild Fairy Tail.

Current she was walking down a street calmly surveying every corner and scanning every face with her attentive brown eyes.

How she was supposed to find one mage amongst an entire town Erza didn't know, especially as she didn't have an idea of where they would be, why they was here, or even what the mage looked like, but she would. It was a request from Master Makarov himself after all. Master received it from the Council true, but Erza didn't care about that. Master requested it and therefore she refused to fail.

Her task was to find and capture, or failing that eliminate, the Dark Mage known as 'Salamander'.

Intelligence had recently been received by the Council suggesting he was in the port town of Hargeon and, Fairy Tail being the closest reputable guild, they had decided that Fairy Tail would be forced to handle him. Not trusting anyone else, Master had sent Erza along to find and defeat him.

She gazed to the left and to the right, then looked back, and unfortunately, not looking where she was going, crashed into someone who was also not looking where they were going "Whoa!" hands grabbed her, hot fingers touching the exposed skin of her upper arms, in between her gauntlets and shoulder armour "Sorry" the man apologised, letting go once he was certain she was steady on her feet.

Erza stared a few moments taking in the man she had bumped into. He was a bit taller than her, had spiky pink hair and black eyes and slightly tanned skin. He wore a dark red jacket left unzipped down the front revealing the black t-shirt worn beneath, and green cargo trousers, and wrapped around his neck was a white scaled scarf, despite the fact that it was the middle of summer "No" she shook her head after he apologised again "It was my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going. Please hit me!"

"Um…" the man stared at her oddly "That's alright. I mean I wasn't look where I was going either."

"I see, still, my apologies" she gave him a formal apologetic bow.

The man chuckled after a moment "You're a little weird…" Erza didn't comment, she had been told that before "That's good, normal people are boring" but his comment made her blink. He smiled again "Well, I better hurry on. Master's going to be really angry if I mess around too much, more than he already is" he mumbled, before giving her a wave and moving on.

Erza followed him with her eyes. Master? Did that mean he was a member of a guild? But then she shook her head, she had a task to do, 'Find Salamander', and with that in mind Erza continued her search. The pink haired man behind her not spared another glance.

She had yet to realise it, and wouldn't for some time, but she had already bumped into her target, literally bumped into.

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"What? You mean this is the only magic shop in town?" Lucy, a girl of seventeen years of age, could've cried just then. In a small town shop like this, it wasn't exactly sizeable and most of the stock looked like it was getting on a bit, there was no chance of her finding anything useful, and certainly not any of the Gate Keys, and most definitely not any of the Golden Gate Keys, and that was what the blonde haired mage was looking for.

"Yes" the storeowner told her cheerful despite her lack of enthusiasm "This town is more prosperous in fishing than magic to begin with. Less than ten percent of the townsfolk can use magic, so this store is mainly for travelling mages."

She sighed "Guess I came here for nothing."

"Before saying that please take a look around, we have some new items too. The ColourS Magic is probably most popular among girls right now" he showed her the small device "You can change your clothes colour depending on your mood" with a flick his clothes became purple "See?"

"I already have it" Lucy told him glancing about, there was no harm in having a quick look "I'm looking for Gate Keys, and strong ones."

"Gate Keys huh? Rather unusual" the store owner said "I think…"

"Ah!" Lucy's happy exclamation stopped him short as she noticed the shiny silver key "Nikora, the Canis Minor!"

"That's not strong at all" the shop keeper told her.

"It doesn't matter, I've been looking for it" she hurried over to him, the box in hand "How much is it?"

"Twenty thousand Jewel."

Lucy didn't blink, didn't flinch, and didn't gape. Instead she remained smiling and asked, as if he hadn't even spoken "I wonder how much it is?"

"I said, twenty thousand Jewel" but he hadn't worked this store for many a year and never encountered customers who wanted to bargain, and this was one shopkeeper who prided himself on being stingy on the matter.

"I wonder how much it really is" Lucy bent over the counter, crossing her arms beneath her chest to accentuate her breasts, giving him a scant but teasing view of her ample assets while she batted her eyelids while practically moaning the word "_mister_?"

Minutes later Lucy was storming down the street key in hand, past a round man skipping along merrily, past the man wondering if he should go into a certain restaurant, past the pink haired man looking around curiously and past the cart being hauled along.

"Tch" Lucy scoffed a scowl on her face "One thousand Jewel. One thousand. Is that all my sex appeal is worth one thousand jewels, HUH?!" she screamed and kicked a nearby sign. Luckily no one commented, I mean would you? You see some girl kick down a sign while grumbling about her sex appeal, commenting then would be as sensible as tickling a sleeping dragon not that that situation was likely to arise as dragons were just legends, but still.

She had bought the key but, one thousand Jewel seriously?

A loud cheer nearby stopped her short "Huh? What's going on?" she glanced at the crowd gathered just along the street, where the cheer had originated. It was mostly made up of women and then mostly teenagers of an age similar to her own.

A pair of girls sped past Lucy shouting back and forth to one another as they ran.

"You hear!"

"Yeah, a famous mage is in town!"

"It's Salamander-sama!"

"S-Salamander?!" Lucy muttered.

Salamander was a mage with one hell of a reputation, even Lucy had heard of him. Destructive and crazy strong he had probably caused more property damage than most mages guilds would cause across their existence and while he may have been a Dark Mage belonging to a Dark Guild that wasn't enough to stop something of a fan club forming around the heavily publicized Salamander, hell half of the stories in the Sorcerer Magazine were about his exploits.

"The man who uses Fire Magic you can't buy in the shops. He's in this town" Lucy grinned. It wasn't every day you met a famous mage after all. She hurried forwards into the crowd and pushed herself forwards.

When she finally saw him her face went red, her heart beat faster, and her brain went quiet. He was relatively tall, with a rather rectangular face and sharp, handsome features. His blue hair was rather short on one side hanging in lower spikes on the other. A tattoo just above his right eyebrow was shaped like a pair of stylized tongs.

His ornate high collared cape reached down to his knees, lighter in colour on the inner side, and fastened just beneath his neck by a stylized flame. Underneath that a rather simple attire of a light short sleeved shirt and pinstriped red pants, and he wore a golden bracelet around his wrist "Haha, I'm had, I can't walk like this" he said, his masculine voice sending shivers down her spine.

'_W-what is this?' _she asked herself as she stared at him, unsure of what to think her heart was beating so fast. When he turned and looked and her, her heart felt like it was going to pummel its way out of her chest _'What's happening to me? Is it because he's a famous mage? Is that why my heart is beating so fast? I-is he coming over here?' _he was, in fact he was looking right at her as he moved towards her and the closer he got the faster and harder Lucy's heart beat.

"PERISH VILLAN!"

The hearts in her eyes broke, literally, as bright red hair whipped across her face _'S-scarlet…' _was the only thought she had that managed to make sense. Before Lucy could so much as blink Salamander was eating dirt in a pile of rubbish with several rather serious looking cuts across his chest and legs.

"What the hell are you doing?" one girl shouted.

"You bitch!"

"How dare you hurt Salamander-sama?"

Stood before Lucy was a scarlet haired, brown eyed woman, wearing a suit of armour and with a sword in hand, said sword dripping with Salamander's blood. The girl turned to face the crowd… and the crowd ran away screaming, her shadowed face and flashing brown eyes putting the fear of… well of _her_, in them.

Once they had vanished into the distance the girl turned to face the unconscious Salamander.

"U-um" Lucy herself almost ran away when the girl turned to face her. She looked rather stern, not angry though, but seeing how easily she had dealt with Salamander Lucy did not want to be on her bad side "Thank you."

The girl blinked.

"That guy, he was using charm" since she was wearing armour Lucy presumed she was talking to a knight or a warrior of justice or something, not someone well versed in the arts of magic "It's a form of magic that makes people feel attracted to the user. But it was outlawed several years ago. Using something like that… that guys disgusting. So thanks for saving me" Lucy smiled at the girl a little embarrassed at being caught up in that. She was a mage wasn't she, she should be better than that.

"You're welcome, but I didn't intend to" the girl turned back to Salamander "Salamander is a wanted criminal. It is my job to ensure he faces justice before he can cause any more damage."

"I see" this girl really was some kind of Champion of Light. Lucy smiled at the thought "Still, facing such a famous mage all by yourself, that's rather risky. You're still a girl aren't you?"

The girl half scowled at the unconscious man "In all honestly I was expecting a more difficult opponent. It seems his formidable reputation was ill deserved."

"What's going on?" several guards hurried over, their armour and weapons clanking, the captain ran at the front shouting to the two girls "What's all this about?"

The scarlet haired girl stepped forward confidently while Lucy considered running away "I am Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail" Lucy's eyes widened "I have captured the criminal Salamander on request from the Council. Please lock him away to await the Council's judgement" she gave them a sharp bow.

"Err…" ignoring the shocked guard and the equally shocked girl behind her, Erza started walking away.

The guards didn't react for a while but then, at the order of their superior, who finally recovered from his own daze, hauled away the unconscious Salamander.

It was then that Lucy was finally snapped from her own reverie and turned and raced down the street after the scarlet dot she could just see in the distance "Please wait a moment!"

Erza stopped and looked back, and waited patiently for Lucy to catch up.

"Are you… really… a mage of Fairy Tail?" Lucy asked in between deep breaths of air.

"Yes."

Stars glimmered in Lucy's eyes "Wow! Incredible, Fairy Tail is as amazing as I thought" Lucy clasped her hands before her chest. So this was a Fairy Tail mage, she was so strong, rather stern but not unkind, and beautiful too "Thank you again, I mean you saved me from that Salamander guy and now I find out you're from Fairy Tail, I'm really glad you came along. Argh, I'll never get in if I fall for such stupid tricks, oh but you're incredible thanks again" if you couldn't tell Lucy was rambling.

Erza tilted her head "Are you interested in joining Fairy Tail?" she inquired.

"Ah, well, I mean, um, y-yeah…" she scratched the back of her head, flushing nervously "But I'm a little nervous and, I mean, what if I'm rejected, a-and I don't…"

"Coward!" Erza's shout startled Lucy, making her scream "You'll never be a mage of Fairy Tail if you fear rejection. Walk right up to the Master and demand it if you want it" Erza's face was cold, she had no time for cowards.

Lucy felt her heart shatter in that moment and she nodded pathetically "Y-yeah, you're right, I'm a coward, I have no right to join Fairy Tail" she sniffed, feeling tears building up. She really wanted to join, really she did, through Weekly Sorcerer she had fallen in love with Fairy Tail from Mirajane's gravure's to their destructive antics. She wanted to be a part of that guild, but she didn't have the courage to just walk into it and demand entry, all she had ever done and could ever do was run away. She had even run away from her own home, from her own father…

"W-wait, don't cry, I'm sorry, please forgive me, I didn't mean to be so harsh, please hit me" Erza fussed worriedly over the blonde, she hadn't intended to make her cry rather give her the courage needed to take that first step, her attempts to give others courage usually backfired but she'd never made someone cry before, at least not where she could see them, they usually ran away from her before crying so Erza never realised they cried.

"E-Erza-san?" Lucy wondered at her change in personality, still half crying.

"Listen to me" Erza placed a hand firmly on her shoulder "Have no fear, don't turn back or flinch away from hardship, stand strong" she gave Lucy a warm but slightly worried smile "Care for your comrades and love your friends, if you're like that, there's no way Master would ever refuse."

Lucy sniffed "E-Erza-san" she repeated, staring at the red haired girl. Not only was she strong and beautiful, she was inspiring and so very kind as well.

Erza smiled kindly "Just Erza is fine."

Lucy started crying again. She knew Fairy Tail mages were cool, but she never thought that they'd be this awesome.

"Wait please don't cry, I'm sorry, please hit me!"

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"So your name is Lucy?" Erza asked only half paying attention. The strawberry shortcake sat on a plate before her taking up the other half of her concentration.

"Yep, and you are Erza Scarlet-san, right?" Lucy asked wanting to make sure she got it right. She nursed a cup of tea in the small teahouse they had stopped in. Erza had seen the strawberry cake poster in the window and made a beeline straight to it and Lucy had gotten dragged along for the ride.

Erza smiled "Just Erza is fine" she repeated her earlier words, before turning her gaze down and taking her first bite, and moaning out loud in pleasure. Strawberry shortcake… delicious.

Lucy smiled as she watched the other girl eat her cake. Despite the armour she clad herself in, despite her strength, Erza really was a girl deep down.

Erza savoured every bite of her cake and when it was all gone she licked her fork clean in a manner most pleasing to the male clientele before finally placing it down with a gentle 'clink'. She let out a long contented sigh.

'_Did she do that on purpose?' _Lucy wondered staring at the girl who had put on a rather erotic display yet seemed none too embarrassed about that fact, or didn't notice.

Erza stood and gave Lucy a small bow "Thank you for the meal."

Lucy blinked _'Wait, am I treating her?' _she sighed _'I guess I should.'_

She twitched as she paid, a thousand Jewel for one cup of tea and a slice of cake, this place was over priced, seriously over priced. She bemoaned her lost thousand Jewel as she followed the redhead out of the café.

"Oi!"

Erza paused and glanced at the man who had shouted, he was looking directly at her and storming through the crowds towards them "You're the bitch who attacked Bora."

"Bora?" Erza repeated, she hadn't heard that name before.

The man finally reached where she stood "You fucking whore!" the man shouted swinging his fist around.

A swift punch to the gut sent him crashing to the ground unconscious. Erza barely reacted to having knocked the guy out, not even looking in his direction as she tried to figure out who this Bora the guy mentioned was.

"She's over here!"

Lucy shivered as more men, these ones armed with swords and guns, raced towards them, then shook her head _'Erza-san, no, _Erza_ has been kind to me, she saved me. Now it's my turn' _she swiped a key of her chain "Open the gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!" plunging it down, as if to open some lock in the air below her, Lucy turned the key.

Emerging from the ground came a huge, heavily muscled, humanoid figure, his body dappled black and white, a pair of horns atop his bovine head and a massive doubled edged axe strapped across his back.

The men halted their advance staring at the figure before them "A cow" one of them said flatly "It's a cow" another stated "Why is there a cow?" a third spoke.

"Lucy-san, nice body as usual" Taurus complimented staring at his master with lustful eyes.

Lucy twitched, couldn't he act a bit more serious. He was her strongest spirit, physically speaking, but his tendency towards perversion did grate on her nerves. She sighed "Ah, the woes of being cute, and having a killer figure."

One man stared at her "What the hell is wrong with this chick?" he asked his companions.

"Who cares, these girls got Bora arrested, attack!"

They charged forwards right at the bull/cow/human hybrid any fear, or astonishment as the case may be, forgotten.

Taurus turned his eyes flashing "You're want to harm _my boobs_" unclasping his axe he swung it in a large arc screaming "I'll never let you touch Lucy's boobs!" and the men were scattered over much of the town the force of his axe blow sending two through nearby windows, three up into the sky, and knocking one into a produce wagon, which then proceeded to head out of town to its next destination with the man only waking up fourteen miles from Hargeon and being forced to walk back whereupon he was arrested, but that was a different story.

"Though I'm grateful for your help, I really wish you were less of a pervert" Lucy muttered.

"Huh? You say something Lucy-san, I was too caught up in looking at your amazing body!" he gave her a thumbs up.

Lucy sighed "No, nothing, thanks for your help Taurus, you can go back now…" Taurus kept staring at her, specifically her chest "You. Can. Go. Back. Now." she growled out.

Taurus gave her the biggest grin "Call me whenever you need me!" before disappearing in golden light.

Lucy sighed again before turning to Erza, intent on gauging her reaction. She really hoped she'd made a good impression.

Erza was smiling at her "Well done Lucy" she patted the girl on the back, unknowingly buckling her knees "A mage of your calibre should have no trouble in Fairy Tail."

Lucy felt herself smile again. It wasn't a dream, she really could, if she just reached out, become a mage of Fairy Tail.

"Oi, what's going on here?"

'_This feels somehow familiar' _Lucy thought as men in yellow and blue striped tunics raced towards them with spears and shields.

"You two!"

Lucy once again considered running away, even more so when she glanced around at the destruction she had caused. She should've known better than to summon Taurus in a crowded public area.

"You two are the ones who apprehended the suspect earlier, correct?" the most formally attired guard asked, bearing a sword, sheathed on his belt, rather than a spear and shield like the rest.

"Yes we are, my name is Erza Scarlet, and this is Lucy" Erza introduced them calmly, as if being confronted by guards was an everyday event, which for her is sort of was, well it was common enough. Come to think of it, well actually something entirely different but slightly related to what she had just said, Erza just now realised that she hadn't ever gotten Lucy's last name. She made a note to remember to ask her later, and subsequently forgot all about it.

"I see" the captain stood upright, to the fullest extent of his height "Then I'll have to ask that you come with me."

"Um, w-why?" Lucy asked nervously. They were so screwed.

The Captain frowned "Your earlier capture of the one known as Salamander… I'm afraid there has been some mistake."

Erza was attentive by this point "A mistake."

"Yes… you see that man is really…"

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A man with spiky pink hair stared down the street along which several windows were broken, a stall was collapsed, and a whole host of guards stood, talking to a pair of girls.

'_That redhead' _he thought staring intently at her _'she's the one I bumped into earlier… or was it the blonde?' _he scratched his head. He had already forgotten.

More than a few other people stood staring at the spectacle like him, but only the odd word of the guards and girls conversation was audible to the general populace, their conversation so quiet and the people stood so far away.

He wasn't the closest, but heard all of it, every single word, but one word and one word alone caught his attention, and it refused to let go, like barbed thorns that were dug into bloodied flesh.

Just one word...

'Salamander'.

He grinned.

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Erza frowned, glaring down at the patterned bedcover stretched out before her. She sat in a centre of a bed in a small inn in Hargeon, wearing her purple Heart Kreuz pyjamas, remembering the conversation with the guard captain earlier.

"… _a man known as Bora of the Prominence, a criminal formerly of the Guild, Titan's Nose. He's a wanted man, charged with abduction and enslavement. He's kidnaps women from the towns, and sells them into slavery in Bosco. The worst sort of scum and someone we're all too happy is behind bars. But he wasn't Salamander…"_

Biting viciously down on her lip she punched the beds footboard, breaking the dense wood with her bare fist.

"Erza" Erza blinked, having momentarily forgotten that she wasn't alone in this room "are you okay?" the blonde haired girl was staring at her with concerned eyes.

Erza had offered to go back to the guild with Lucy and put in a good word with the master for her, the way she handled herself earlier convincing Erza that she would make a good comrade. But it was late when they finally got out of being questioned by the city guard, and when Erza had finally finished questioning _them_, so they checked into this inn deciding to head back tomorrow.

Lucy offered to pay for her room as thanks but, unfortunately, only had enough for one room so they decided to share, luckily they managed to get a twin room at a cutback price, although Erza wouldn't have minded sharing a bed too much, for some reason Lucy seemed embarrassed at the prospect and the, male, owner had been blushing furiously.

"I was just thinking, about what the guards told us earlier."

Lucy shivered. Using something like charm was disgusting, but using it to draw in girls, or rather 'products', that was horrible, sickening. She half wished Erza had beaten him up some more. Thinking that she might have been one of them, if Erza hadn't come along… Lucy couldn't continue those thoughts, her brain refusing to go any further. She didn't want to think on what might've happened.

"I failed" Erza continued.

"What?!" Lucy stared her shock. How could she say that? "You captured a man who harmed lots of people. He was a slaver, you heard the guard 'the worst sort of scum'. You... you saved me, Erza. How is that a failure?"

Erza shook her head "Salamander was spotted in this town. It was my job to capture him. I failed."

"That Bora guy was using Salamander's name, anyone could've made the mistake of believing he was the real Salamander, I mean it's not like you had a description or something… right?" she hadn't had she, because if she did then it was a little stupid, but still!

"I didn't" but she didn't look any happier.

Lucy paused, chewing her own lip as she tried to think. She needed a good convincing argument so that Erza wasn't down on herself. She had done a good deed, a great deed even, she had no reason to be harsh with herself, hell she should be pleased "What if…" Lucy began slowly "the Samander that was spotted here _was_ Bora?" Erza blinked at her "Think about it" she continued "he was using the name Salamander so someone might've reported it as the real Salamander. So it wasn't your fault it the information's?!" she stood up with a raised fist and a smile, happy at her own argument.

For a moment Erza could only stare, then she smiled "Lucy, thank you" they had only met a few hours ago and yet Erza already found herself both liking and feeling comfortable around this girl. She reminded her of someone. Erza's eyes widened when she realised who it was, strands of silver hair dancing across her memory.

**BOOM!**

An explosion rocked the room, sending Lucy crashing to the ground while Erza stood keeping her balance despite the shaking ground, switching from her pyjamas to her armour with a sword in hand, ready for an attack.

"What the… An explosion?!" Lucy cried out panicked.

Screams and crying, and the pounding of running feet and panicked shouts, could be heard from outside the window.

"Come on" Erza called racing from the room without a moments pause.

Lucy followed after a moment's hesitation. As much as she didn't want to go out in her pinstriped pyjamas Erza had helped, and was helping, her and trusting her and Lucy didn't intend to fail her expectations. She did grab her keys and whip before leaving though.

Outside it was all the louder, and cries of children, the screams of men and women alike, and the crying and running, it all pounded heavily in her head. But she and Erza headed against the crowd, in the opposite direction to most who were fleeing, towards the towering column of smoke visible in the sky and the orange glow above the buildings, likely a fire of mighty proportions.

Eventually they reached the source of the flames, a large stone building where men in the city guard uniform were racing right and left, orders were shouted loudly, and people in chains were dragged away from the flaming building as other men threw buckets of water on the flames in an attempt to quell the blaze that was burning even the stone. This place was a prison, Lucy was certain.

"What's going on?" Erza approached the first person she saw.

"Miss, you need to get…" and he was out like a light as Erza punched him in the head.

"What's going on?" she moved onto the next.

"Wha…" and he was out too.

"What's going on?"

"Err…" and so was he.

'_She requires an immediate answer, huh? Better remember that' _Lucy told herself staring at the numerous unconscious men lying on the ground. She sighed and took a long look around.

"The prison was attacked" someone finally answered quickly enough for Erza's liking, funnily enough it was the guard captain from earlier "The explosion was centred around the cell of that fake Salamander you brought in earlier. We think he might've escaped."

Erza scowled, escaped the day she caught him. She'd hunt him down if it was the last thing she did, no one, I mean no one, escaped, not from her.

"No" both Erza and the guard captain turned at Lucy's single, faint, word. And found her staring up, at a wall of the prison left undamanged the explosion "He didn't escape…" she said, a tear dripping from her eye. No one deserved such a thing, not even scum like Bora, it was just… it was horrible.

Erza and the guard followed her line of sight, and they found him there.

Bora of the Prominence was pinned to the stone wall, his arms stabbed through with the bars of his own prison cell, half melted around his flesh. He was stripped out of his fancy clothes leaving him in just his pants and there, marked upon his bare chest, was a symbol, charred black into his flesh.

A slowly expanding shaft, a ray of light beaming down from on high perhaps, being consumed, from the ground up, by flames.

Erza felt rage building up inside of her. She knew that symbol, she had drilled it into her mind before this mission. That symbol was a guild mark, Salamander's guild's mark. It was the mark of… "Torched Heaven!"

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A man with spiky pink hair walked along the road away from the port town of Hargeon at a casual pace, yawning loudly, the flames burning in the city casting an orange glow that reached even this far out.

His red jacket hung loose around his upper arms, revealing the symbol emblazoned upon the back of his black t-shirt, a golden ray of light beaming down from above, being consumed at the bottom by scarlet flames, Torched Heaven's symbol.

"Natsu-sama" Natsu paused and glanced to the trees to his left, where the source of the voice stood.

Hidden from the moons cold white light under the cover of the trees shadow stood a tall man, a good head taller than Natsu himself, with long red hair glowing faintly with a strange otherworldly golden light. His hair was a deep crimson at the roots but faded into orange and then yellow at the tips, giving it a flame like appearance.

He was clean shaven, middle aged wrinkles around his eyes, his eyes themselves cold and black. He wore a long flowing black cape, beneath that a dark red suit and black dress shirt, a red tie and shiny black shoes.

"Was there a reason for that?" the older man inquired, glancing at the fire still raging in the town. It would take them days to put it out, such was the potency of Natsu's flames.

Natsu shrugged "Someone was using my name" he said casually, as if he hadn't just killed a man and desecrated his corpse. Technically he hadn't, the last part at least, Bora had still been alive when Natsu burnt the symbol into his chest, though he hadn't been alive long after that.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, Boar the Prominent or something" if you had your own title then why the hell would you use his. Natsu shook his head "Did you want something, Alastor?"

"Master bid me to inform you your current assignment is to be put on hold."

"Oh?" that was good, even after wandering the entire town all day Natsu still hadn't figured out what exactly his job had been. He also knew that returning now would be risky given that he had just burned down the prison.

"Yes, he asks that you return to Devilfire Keep. He has a more interesting job for you."

"'Interesting'?" Natsu wondered at the wording.

Alastor nodded "He asked me to mention two things, first, the dark guild, Eisenwald" they had had dealings with the Oracion Seis subordinate guild before, so the name meant something to Natsu, but nothing important or particularly exciting "And also" Alastor continued "_Lullaby_."

A dark smile spread across Natsu's face. Things were getting interesting, weren't they? "You can go now" he dismissed Alastor with a wave of his hand "tell Master I'll be back in a two days, maybe three at most."

Alastor nodded, giving Natsu a small bow before his body was burnt up, fading into flames that burnt out in the air. Somewhere far away the real Alastor's eyes snapped open as his Flame Projection Spell was released.

But Natsu remained on the road just outside Hargeon, still grinning even as he looked up at the pale full moon sat upon an inky black sky dotted with flickering pinprick stars _'Lullably, huh? Should be fun.'_

* * *

Okay so here it is, the first chapter in my NatsuXErza epic.

What did you think? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Do you find me to be an obnoxious prick who should just shut the hell up? Did you answer yes to all four question? If so fuck you, you can't fucking read the questions and you're a fucking dick, I'll have you know I'm an obnoxious, annoying, tedious prick, I pissed off a lot of people to get that title, and deserve to be addressed as such.

...

That came out a lot more self deprecating than I thought it would.

Ah well, enjoy, review if you want, you know if you can be bothered.

Toodles.


	2. A Quest

**Chapter 2: A Quest.**

Natsu stood before a pair of heavy oak gates banded with black iron. They were tough, even he and his flames would struggle to break through, if they even could. Luckily, for both of them, there was no need to test it as these gates would open without issue for him.

He stripped of his jacket and his t-shirt, not flinching despite the icy temperature, it was freezing cold up in the mountains even in the height of summer, and turned around. There on his back, in between his shoulder blades, rested a black mark. The mark of Torched Heaven. It was in almost the same spot as it was on his t-shirt.

Nothing visible occurred, no flash of light, no magical scan, but a heavy clanking sounded and then the gates swung open by themselves. Natsu pulled on his t-shirt, hanging his jacket over his shoulder.

This was Devilfire Keep, the guildhall of Torched Heaven.

The gates opened up into a large square courtyard, surrounded by walls and the front of the castle proper. In the centre of the courtyard was a tiered stone fountain, though no water emerged instead a golden flame burned beautifully upon its highest tier. That was the source of the all the protections that surrounded Devilfire Keep. It was the reason why the no one save a member could enter. It was the reason why, unless you knew exactly where it was, you would almost never find it. It was also what kept _in_ intruders who managed to bypass these stout defences. Without that the castle was defenceless and anyone could stumble across it, including the council.

Because of that fact there was a small wooden plaque saying 'DO NOT EAT!' nailed to the fountains base.

This was of course placed there for the one member who could eat flames, Natsu if you hadn't already guessed. In fairness it wasn't his fault, he had been hungry and it had looked tasty. How could he be to blame for the Rune Knights invading or the subsequent move that had followed?

Besides the old shack they had been working out of was getting a bit small and in need of some serious remodelling. So instead they moved to this once abandoned castle, rebuilt it in areas, had to dig it out of the earth in others, added the protections, and then the plaque in order to avoid such issues in the future.

The crenelated walls guarding either side of the courtyard both had iron gates at ground level at about the middle of their length, those led down into the dungeons which also served as the sleeping quarters. Set in an archway in the centre of the keep's front was a redwood door, half the size of the main gates but still considerably large.

It was there that he headed, ignoring the main gates closing with a thud behind him, once again without any outside force moving them, and with a gentle push the doors into the keep opened up.

Hot air rushed out, blasting him with its heat, and Natsu entered the grand room. The hall was half as wide as it was long with a long straight staircase at the opposite ending leading up to a black wood doorway banded with gold and with a golden dragon head knocker in the centre. That door led into the archive and Charmain's private quarters. Only Natsu and three others were allowed entry in there, without Charmain's supervision.

All along the walls hung crimson red banners all displaying the same symbol, a long shaft of golden light expanding the further down the banner it got, but it was being consumed, from the ground up, by scarlet flames.

Two banners hung on either side of the stairway, two more on either side of the door through which he had just entered, and eight more on the other two walls, four on each, all evenly spaced. Two fireplaces burned in the centre of the two longest walls, large fireplaces of blackened stone burning with fires that had raged since the day they had made this place home, never going out.

Placed at the entrance at the bottom of the stairway were two cast iron bowls brimming with blazing fires, one on either side.

Two long wooden tables ran almost from wall to wall, leaving a space big enough for a man to pass through at the end closest to him and stopping just shy of overreaching where the stairs came to at the other. A long pathway in between the two tables, which, unlike the rest of the floor which was paved in simple flagstones and charred in places, was done in a dark red stone bordered by a thin black lines also made from stone, led all the way to the staircase where upon red carpet took hold.

It was this pathway that Natsu followed, he drew a few stares as he walked, a few comments, a few compliments, some called for him to join them drinking, others jested over his exploits, some even bowed. He ignored them all.

On the right side of the stairway, going up, was the request board, even dark guilds had them. There were far less requests than one would find in a legal guild and most of the requests were illegal activities, stealing items, destroying cargo shipments, blackmail, intimidation, assassinations that sort of thing, but they had one. Most requests posted had been written either by contacts in the major cities or by Charmain himself who received them from contacts but didn't consider them vital enough to assign a member personally.

But that held no interest to him right now. Right now he headed up the stairs the lightest touch opening the double doors at the top and granting him entry.

Two doors waited for him, both made from black wood with gold fittings. The one on his right led into the archives where all of the knowledge that Torched Heaven had gathered was stored. Fire magic's beyond belief, spells defying imagination and all sorts of other bits and bobs were in there.

But the door to his left was the one he walked through, the one leading into Charmain's private quarters.

He walked up a cast iron spiral staircase in the unadorned, box like room he had entered and walked all the way up, ignoring the three doors he passed on his way up, and taking only the last.

This one led into Charmain's study.

The walls were lined with black wood cases, containing books and artefacts, a sword that burned unendingly, though it did had a bite sized chunk missing around the base of the blade, courtesy of Natsu, sat upon its flame proof rack burning cheerily. What was supposedly a dragon's claw bone rested upon the shelf in another, along with numerous tomes clad in red leather and marked with golden lettering.

None of it held any interest to Natsu who instead approached the heavy wooden desk his guild master sat behind, reading over a scroll intently.

"Charmain."

"Natsu" Charmain didn't look up, he had known Natsu was here from the second he approached the main gate and had followed his movements since then. After half a minute Charmain finally put his scroll down and gazed up at his strongest member.

Charmain was an elderly man, his head was bald, while his chin was clad in a white-grey goatee. His stern eyes were an even grey, the perfect balance between white and black, and he wore a long red robe with gold flame like patterns around the end of the sleeves and the hem.

Stood before such an impressive figure, with a magic whose intensity could be felt without any exertion whatsoever, any man would be forgiven for being cowed.

"So what do you old man?" Natsu, however, was not cowed.

Charmain didn't react. He didn't care about Natsu's lack of formal respect because, despite that, he did have Natsu's _genuine_ respect. He was powerful enough to go toe to toe with his most powerful member, and had done on several occasions. Natsu could be rather difficult to control at times and getting him to do what Charmain wanted when it wasn't what Natsu wanted did not usually involve peaceable talks. It involved fighting, explosion and fire, and both men's startling control over the element.

Charmain instead leant forwards on his elbows "The Dark Guild Eisenwald has plans for the magic, Lullaby. I trust you've heard of it?"

"Yeah, I investigated it a few years back" he didn't need to say anything more, that wasn't a mission either of them would forget.

"Indeed" Charmain said, for a moment his stern visage twitching with an unidentifiable emotion, before it resumed its stillness "How they managed to obtain this magic where we failed is beyond me. However…" he let a smile spread across his features "We will not let this opportunity go to waste."

Natsu grinned, if they destroyed Eisenwald then Oracion Seis would have no choice but to react or risk looking weak. That meant all-out war. And that, _that_, would be fun.

"Do not get your hopes up" Charmain quashed his thoughts of battle, his stern face returned full force "We will be working _with _Eisenwald in this case. It is likely that they intend to use it for some trivial purpose but I have offered them our assistance in return for what I have called 'partial ownership' of the magic. Assist them in making use of it, but avoid being caught in its effect. You may be more durable than any other mage I know" and that was a compliment coming from Charmain "but even you can be killed. And I cannot afford to lose you."

Natsu scowled, nowhere near as interesting as what he anticipated or what he had hoped.

"At the first opportunity you see I want you to steal it" Charmain continued "If there is no other option, fight the guild members, kill them if you must, I care not, but I'd rather we simply steal from them. A war with Oracion Seis is not a course of action to be taken lightly… But" a cruel smile twitched onto his stern face "that does not mean it is not a course we will take."

And Natsu's grin was back, bright and ferocious, like a roaring inferno ready to swallow the world whole.

"Just that I'd rather it be avoided if we can" Charmain leant back, sternness dominating his expression again "You will meet them in Onibus in a few days' time" he returned to his scroll content in the knowledge that his orders would be carried out "This will inform you of who to meet and where" he gestured vaguely in the direction of a sheet of paper carrying the full details of the mission "As well as directions."

"Great…" Natsu grabbed it and turned to leave "Um" he turned back "How do you get to Onibus from here?"

Charmain smiled, an amused one this time, as he looked up to condemn Natsu to the worst pits of hell "By train, obviously" the worst pits of hell by Natsu's standard that is.

Natsu blinked then skedaddled backwards "Fuck no! I refuse. There is no way in hell I'm going on this mission!" he declared angrily, shaking his head and crossing his arms to form an X to further demonstrate how much he was so not going on this mission.

A few days later Natsu sat on a train, barely conscious and very sick "I hate trains" he whimpered pathetically. Unfortunately for him this mission was going to involve a lot of trains.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lucy sighed contently as she thought back over her time in Fairy Tail. She hadn't been here that long but already she, from the bottom of her heart, loved this guild. It was the best guild ever! Sure it was a little rowdy at times, and sure there were a few odd characters, but every day was fun and different and just as exciting as the last.

Not long after she joined Erza had left on a job, from which she had still not returned, and Lucy had felt rather nervous and slightly abandoned. But she needn't have worried as she quickly made several friends.

First up was Levy Mcgarden a girl who shared her love of novels, they'd become so close than Lucy even promised that, when she finally finished her own book, Levy would be the first person to read it.

Then there was Gray Fullbuster, a stoic but not unkind boy who helped her out a week ago and accompanied her on her first real mission. He treated her very courteously, though that may have had something to do with the fact that Erza was the one who brought her into the guild, and was nice enough to hang out with, if you ignored his habitual stripping.

There was also Cana Alberona, an alcoholic mage who grabbed Lucy's breasts on her third day in Fairy Tail, in full view of the entire guild, because she, quote, 'wanted to'. And from which a beautiful friendship, of sorts, had formed. Their friendship mainly involved Cana trying to coax Lucy into drinking and jointly complaining about the lack of class the men of Fairy Tail had.

And Mirajane Strauss, Fairy Tail's beautiful cover girl and barmaid, who treated Lucy nicely and was kind enough to explain several things about being in a guild to her. Admittedly the silver haired woman was nice to everyone so it likely wasn't a unique or even particularly important friendship.

Finally there was Macao Conbolt who, though Lucy wouldn't say they had a strong friendship, they certainly shared some type of bond. The reason for that was simple.

Romeo Conbolt, Macao's son, had visited the guild on her first day there and asked after his father who was out on a mission. Master had answered rather brusquely that Macao was a mage and to not worry and drink his milk or something, and Romeo had punched him.

It was two days later, as she considered what her first mission should be, that Lucy found Romeo in an alleyway crying.

She had her own father issues, so to speak, and so could sympathise, on some level, with Romeo and so she had asked Master if she could follow him. Master told her Macao could handle himself and that she'd only hurt his pride if she helped.

"_Is someone's pride worth their life?" _had been her response _"Is it worth their son's tears?"_

A long tense pause followed, but Master finally said 'Do what you want' and told her the mission was at Mount Hakobe, and Gray insisted on coming along for some reason, though the words 'Erza' 'kill' and 'if you get harmed' might have something to do with it, just fill in the two missing words.

From there it had been one problem after another, a blizzard at Mount Hakobe despite it being summer, the cold, a Vulcan kidnapping her, both her, or rather Taurus, and Gray defeating said Vulcan only to find out it was Macao, a heavily injured Macao, who had been 'taken-over'.

They patched him up as best they could, with Gray being forced to seal the most serious wound with ice. It was the best they could do, otherwise he would've bled to death. He woke a small while later, and called himself pathetic, asked how he could face Romeo like this, and Lucy slapped him. She screamed that no matter how pathetic he was he had a son who loved him.

And since then, according got Mirajane, Macao had gained a crush on the Celestial Spirit mage.

Her first mission was a whole other matter. She decided to take the two million jewel request for the destruction of the book Daybreak, and once again Gray tagged along saying 'Erza' 'kill' and 'if you get hurt', one word changed but it carried the general gist of his previous reason.

The fact that the request demanded a 'blonde maid' was certainly not the reason she selected it, nope not at all, that wasn't even considered, in fact she didn't even notice and the fact that she packed a maid outfit in her luggage before heading out on the quest was pure coincidence. But… she was blonde and looked damn good in a maid outfit so they made use of that.

However Duke Everlue had a rather unique taste in beauty… to put it lightly.

So instead they were forced to sneak in, they had to fight Everlue's ugly-bitch maids… I mean, odd looking maids, whom Gray handled with ease, and then she found the book in Everlue's library, while Gray was busy with some pornography that he had found.

A whole series of events followed that but in the end the man who requested the job, Kaby Melon, turned out to be Zekua Melon, who wrote under the pseudonym of Kemu Zaleon who was a famous author and writer of many of Lucy's favourite books, son and the book Daybreak, turned out to be a fake and was actually named Dear Kaby a book written for Kaby personally and all ended well.

Though Gray steadfastly refused to accept the two million jewel payment because they didn't complete the request, and eventually managed to talk her out of wanting to take it. Lucy really did want the money but the pride of Fairy Tail was more important or so Gray convinced her.

And now she stood in front of the request board with Nab, who always seemed to be standing there, wondering which request to take this time.

"Search for a magic bracelet, removing a curse from a walking stick" they seemed pretty standard, the next one she saw didn't "Fortune telling love with astrology?" people could request that sort of stuff? And the next was even more out there "Exterminate evil spirits living in a volcano?!"

"C'mon Lucy, choose one already" Gray moaned at her from the bar.

Lucy frowned "Why do you care? If you want to go on a job, go by yourself."

"She's right Gray" Mirajane entered the conversation "Why are you so insistent on doing jobs with Lucy? Don't tell me you…" Mira's eyes sparkled "…you like her!"

Gray stared flatly "I prefer to know someone better before contemplating such things" he said in monotone "But I'll die to protect her…" while Mira glowed with joy at hearing such a romantic declaration, Lucy sighed as she heard his next mumbled words "…because what Erza'll do to me is worse."

"Let me know if you find a job you like, okay?" Mira told Lucy "Since Master's not here right now."

"Huh?" Lucy glanced around only know realising the small perverted old man was nowhere to be seen "Oh yeah, you're right."

"He has to attend the Regular Meeting, so he'll be out for a while."

"Regular meeting?"

"It's a meeting where local guild masters gather and give their reports" Mira explained "It's different from the Council meeting, but… Uhmmm, I guess it can be a bit confusing" she turned to a round man sat at the bar "Reedus can I borrow your Light Pen" a Light Pen is a magic item that can be used to write in the air using 'light', there are currently seventy two different colours available.

"Oui" Reedus passed her a Light Pen from his pocket.

"You couldn't possibly know the organizational chart of the magic world when you've just joined a guild right?" Mira drew a chart in the air "At the top are the ten Council members" she pointed to the box with the word 'Council' written within it "They are connected to the government and are tasked with maintaining order in the magic world, they also try mages who commit crimes. Below the council" she pointed to the box just below the box labelled 'Council' of which she had drawn three all connected by lines to the box labelled 'Council' "are the Guild Master Leagues, where the Guild Master's assemble. They relay the decision of the Council, smooth out communication between guilds in the area, and keep us in order" each other these three boxes were labelled 'Guild Master League' and below that were numerous boxes labelled 'Guild' "It's quite a hard job to do, right?"

"I had no idea there were connections between guilds" Lucy really wished she had read up more on the subject now, but compare 'Structure of the Magical World' a four hundred thousand word dissertation on the make-up of the magical system of Fiore, and 'Weekly Sorcerer' a magazine that listed new spells and magic items, had numerous articles on famous mages and photo spreads of them as well sometimes, and it was obvious which the majority would read, and Lucy was part of the majority in this case.

"Cooperation between the guilds is important, you know? If we neglect these then… Dark Guilds will rise up and gain lots of power" Mira drew another circle this one unconnected to the others, with the words 'Dark Guild' written in it.

"Dark Guilds? You mean like…" Lucy frowned, visions of charred flesh and a dead man flashing before her eyes "Torched Heaven."

"Ah, that's right, you first met Erza when she was hunting 'Salamander', didn't you?" Mira looked rather sympathetic just then, she had heard exactly what had occurred during _that _"But yes, Torched Heaven is an example. They aren't a part of a Guild Master League, and they don't follow the law of the Council, that means the requests they take usually aren't legal and can involve criminal activity."

"Anyway" Gray spoke up "pick a job already."

"Gray, your clothes" Cana mentioned offhandedly from her table, well used to this routine by now.

"AHHHHH!" Gray cried as he searched around for his unconsciously lost clothing, luckily he had left his boxers on, if Erza found him walking around naked again she'd probably kill him.

Lucy watched him annoyed, it might be slightly funny, if it weren't mentally scarring.

An arm wrapped around her shoulders unexpectedly "Forget about him. Why don't you form a team of love with me?" Loke, formerly someone she harboured something of a crush on, he was now firmly crossed of her list of 'Mages You'd Most Like to be Your Boyfriend' because he was just like the rest of Fairy Tail, a battle hungry idiot.

"Huh?" was all she could in response.

"You really are beautiful" Loke told her, unbridled passion filling his voice "If I were to look at you without my sunglasses" he smiled a gentle, sensual, smile "I'd surely go blind."

"Then please take them off" Lucy told him flatly.

The keys on her waist clinked as she shifted drawing Loke's gaze down, he hadn't been ogling her sizeable bust, not at all, and he flinched back violently upon seeing the gold and silver keys "Y-you're a Celestial Spirit Mage?!"

"Yeah" Gray returned with half of his clothes, it was just the top half but it was still a half "She has a cow and a crab and some weird doggy thing too."

"AH, WHAT A TWIST OF FATE!" Loke cried to the gods above "Sorry but this is the end of us!" he shouted back, running away from her, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Was there even an 'us' to begin with?" Lucy asked rhetorically as he ran away. She shook her head and turned to Mirajane who stood a small ways behind her "What just happened?"

"Loke isn't good at dealing with Celestial Spirit Mages, apparently something involving a girl happened in the past."

"As I thought" of course it would be something like that, it was so obvious Lucy nearly sighed "Ah, he came back" Lucy noted as Loke ran back into the guild.

"Gray!" he screamed running up to the still half naked ice mage "Erza's back!"

A moment, that felt like an eternity, passed in a silence deep enough to drown the whole world.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

And then everyone started panicking and screaming, Gray stood frozen stiff, Loke sweated nervously, others ran about, a few tried to escape, Cana gulped down her barrel with a resigned enthusiasm.

"Do they always do this?" Lucy wondered looking around at her guild mates most of whom seemed shit scared. Erza wasn't that bad was she, she had seemed rather nice to Lucy.

"Yep!" Mira told her brightly.

Heavy thunderous footsteps sounded outside the guild, making everyone quiet down "It's Erza" one girl muttered fearfully "Those are Erza's footsteps" Wakaba, if she remembered right, said "She's back" Macao gulped.

'_Has she put on weight?' _Lucy wondered, Erza's footsteps certainly weren't this heavy before, she then decided to never ask that question. Lucy rather liked her face the way it was and didn't want it rearranged by an angry red haired mage who, as Lucy herself said, was still a girl and would likely take comments regarding her weight with some anger, or a lot of anger.

"I think I'm gonna go home" Loke said, his voice shaking.

Before he could the scarlet haired mage entered… with a giant horn several times larger than herself held casually on her shoulder.

"I'm back. Is master here?" Erza addressed Mira, placing her horn down with a thud, though thankfully the floor didn't crack from its weight.

"Welcome back!" Mira greeted cheerily "Master's attending the regular meeting right now."

"I see."

"Erza-san, what is that huge thing?" Max asked nervously.

"Hmm? This?" she smiled fondly "The horn of a monster I slew. The villagers decorated it and gave it to me as a souvenir. Will it be a nuisance?" she asked with a pointed stare.

"No, not at all!" he cried.

"The horn a demon she subdued, huh" someone behind Max said.

"Whoa."

"Think she knows about Hakobe?" Cana teased, somehow managing to gulp and speak at the same time.

"Shit, I might really get killed" Macao realised.

Lucy could actually hear the heartbeat of Nab, who was still stood in front of the request board with her, she hadn't realised just how afraid of Erza everyone in this guild was.

"You guys!" Erza snapped, getting everyone to jump "I heard rumours during my quest about Fairy Tail causing trouble again. Even if Master forgave you I won't. Cana!" she turned to the alcoholic card mage "That's an inappropriate drinking posture" the brunette shook with fear and moved quickly to sit in a more appropriate fashion at her table "Vijeeter, do your dance outside. Wakaba, your cigarette butts are all over the floor" she didn't even turn to face the spandex wearing dancing mage or the chronic smoker, and both hurried to make amends, Vijeeter running outside and Wakaba picking up his finished cigarettes with his bare hands from the floor "Nab, are you just standing in front of the request board, as always? Do a job. Macao!" the blue haired man flinched, but instead of the scolding he expected Erza just closed her eyes and sighed.

"Say something!" Macao screamed, at least wanting to know if his death was oncoming.

"Really, you guys give me so much trouble. I won't say anything for today."

'_I think you already said a lot' _Lucy thought, glancing around at the terrified and chastised faces of her guild mates.

"Lucy!" Erza stomped forwards until she was stood right in front of the blonde mage.

Lucy almost screamed "Y-yes" she stood rigidly straight, waiting.

Was Erza going to scold her too? Was it about Everlue mansion collapsing? Because that really wasn't her fault. No, seriously, it wasn't. She hadn't done anything, it was all Duke Everlue, she just dodged around, he brought down his luxury mansion by himself with assistance from his annoying tunnelling magic.

Erza smiled "I hear you fought off twenty Vulcan's by yourself and defeated a mercenary gorilla with one finger. Well done."

"Err" Lucy wasn't sure how to respond, Gray defeated the 'mercenary gorilla', Virgo really had looked like a gorilla hadn't she, no wonder she was a virgin, and Macao defeated nineteen of the Vulcan's and she only helped in defeating the last one, but contradicting Erza, after everything she had just seen, was not something Lucy was keen on doing.

"Gray, Lucy!"

"Yes, ma'am" Gray snapped to attention, his entire body shivering in fear, sweating dripping down his bare torso. Yeah, he managed to lose his shirt again.

"I heard some troubling rumours while working" she confessed "Normally I would consult Master about this, but as he isn't here and since I consider this an urgent matter" her eyes snapped open and she stared intently at the pair "I want you two to help me."

"Huh?" they both said in unison.

They weren't the only ones shocked by Erza's request, or was it a demand? Well… it was Erza, they were practically the same thing.

"What's going on?" Cana wondered, staring in shock.

"Erza's asking for help, this is the first time I've ever seen such a thing."

"Someone who can defeat such a huge monster too."

Mutterings such as those were floating throughout the entire guild, but Erza paid them no mind instead staring solely at Lucy and Gray "We're leaving tomorrow. Be ready" she told them before turning and leaving the guild.

"I never thought Erza would be part of a team" even Mira seemed shaken by the revelation, as she stared at Erza's retreating back "Erza, Gray and Lucy… you three might just be… Fairy Tail's strongest team!"

Lucy blinked "Mira… please tell me I misheard you."

* * *

Okay so here's the next chapter of Torching Heaven... nothing much happened did it? Sorry about that, but stuff'll happen soon enough, I promise... well it might do, probably, possibly, maybe. By the way, do you know how much of Torching Heaven I've written in the week since posting the first chapter? The sum total of jack (i.e. jack shit). Yep, nothing, nada, not a bit. I did have all the way up to Chapter 9 written then I decided chapter 7 and 8 were shit and began rewriting them, and I'm still in the process of it... and getting nowhere... fast.

By the way, for anyone wondering, I update weekly (or I try to) so the next chapter will be around a week from now, with any luck. You know, provided I don't die or suffer crippling injuries or break my computer in the meantime.

Well anyway, thanks for reading, please review if you have the time and energy or care enough about this story to, and I hoped you enjoyed it.

Toodles.


	3. A Lull(aby) Before the Storm

**Chapter 3: A Lull(aby) Before the Storm.**

Kageyama, a black haired shadow using mage of the Dark Guild Eisenwald, walked towards the train station in Onibus with due haste, but also nervous haste. He regularly checked his bag, and glanced about furtively.

After all he was carrying the Death Magic, Lullaby, he was entitled to some paranoia.

His nerves were rather frayed right now, he was constantly expecting Rune Knight to come pouring out of the woodwork and then he'd be arrested and then Erigor would kill him in jail, the 'Shinigami' had managed worse, and then he'd probably be resurrected just to be killed again.

What he really needed right now was some legal mage to beat up for a while, but such pleasures would have to wait. Right now he had to get to where Erigor was meeting him.

He only noticed the pink haired man watching him intently when he stepped out, standing right in Kageyama's path.

For a moment they stared each other down, then Kageyama tried to casually walk past, but the man simply moved to the side he headed for and blocked him again his onyx eyes never leaving Kageyama's face.

"Do I know you?" Kageyama asked calmly. Inside his mind was awhirl with thoughts _'Who is this guy? What does he want? Does he know? Is he from the council? A rival dark guild? Shit, if I don't get back soon Erigor might really kill me!'_

The man was of average height, with spiky pink hair and black eyes, he wore a strange scaled white scarf round his neck, a zipped up dark green jacket and a red t-shirt just visible in a v-shaped gap the unzipped area left bare and beige trousers.

"The names Natsu" the man said casually, walking forwards until only a single pace separated the two of them "But you can call me… _Salamander_" it was but a tenuous whisper, but Kageyama heard, and he knew that name.

Kageyama's eyes widened "Torched Heaven?" he whispered back.

Natsu nodded.

He gulped, Salamander, Torched Heaven's Salamander. He was not someone on Kageyama's league, hell he was right out of Kageyama's league and even someone like Erigor would have trouble with him "Erigor said you… partnered up with us" but they weren't expecting Torched Heaven to send Salamander, of all people "Could've arrived sooner though, I've already obtained _it_."

"That's nice" Natsu commented blandly looking to the side "And you think that what, it's all going to be plain sailing now. Tell me, how many bars did you shout loudly about Lullaby and Erigor in before you obtained it? How many mages overheard you, and how many guilds are going to be on your arse before noon?" Natsu should know, he had done that occasionally sometimes because he forgot the 'secret' part of secret mission, other times because secrecy could go hang, and more often than not for the good fight it always brought him.

Kageyama flinched, half at the accusations, which were painfully true, and half at how loudly Natsu spoke. He quickly glanced around but it wasn't very busy and no one had noticed thankfully.

"So, you are?" Natsu asked, turning and walking away.

Kageyama hurried to walk next to him "Kageyama" he responded after a moment.

"Kageyama, got it" Natsu committed the name to memory, i.e. he forgot about it in about two seconds "So where are we meeting with Erigon?"

"Kunugi" he said simply, not noticing Natsu's mistake as he continued onwards to the train station.

"Kunigi?"

"Yeah, the station" he didn't notice that error either.

"Station… y-you mean… train station?"

Kageyama blinked, was that fear he heard in the voice of one of the most feared mages in Fiore, no he must be mistaken, but… He turned to look at Natsu, and noticed his shaking hands and nervous eyes and the green tinge on his face "Um, yeah, train station."

Natsu let out a pitiful whimper, like a kicked puppy.

He hated trains!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Erza, are you gonna tell us what this is all about yet?" Gray finally asked, seeing how close they were to journey's end. Another five maybe ten minutes and they'd be in Onibus, though why they were going there was still unknown "You asking for help doesn't happen often" _'or at all' _he added in his head.

Lucy put away her new key and made to listen intently. It was the Key of the Maiden, Virgo, which she had only just received. Apparently Virgo had given it to Gray to give it to her after Duke Everlue was arrested and he had forgotten it up until now. She hadn't made a contract yet though, she'd wait until this job was done. No point wearing herself out now making contracts when she might need her magic for later.

"Yes" Erza nodded "Let me explain. I had finished my job and was heading back to the guild, but decided to stop at a bar in Onibus where mages gather…"

"_Oi, hurry up with our beer!" a man shouted at the waitress, who was hurrying over with a flagon._

"_I-I'm sorry."_

_None of the group noticed Erza's gaze as she looked over to the commotion._

"_Byard, don't get so angry" another man sat around the same table told his angry companion._

"_How can I not be irritated by this?" the man, Byard, complained loudly, using magic to draw the beer out of the new flagon the waitress was bringing and into the one he was whining about being empty, much to the shock of said waitress "We finally found the magic, Lullaby, but there's a damn seal in our way!"_

"_Idiot, you're too loud."_

"_Yup, noisy" two of the other chastised him._

"_Shit!" Byrad cursed, gulping back his beer, a vein twitching above his eyes._

"_It's not like we can break the seal quicker with more people" calming voice spoke "So why don't you guys go back."_

"_Kage-chan!"_

"_Seriously, you figured out how to break the seal!"_

_The owner of the calming voice, a dark haired rather childish looking man, smiled "Tell Erigor-san that I will definitely be back with Lullaby in three days."_

"Lullaby?" Gray said aloud.

"What is that? Some magic to put people to sleep?" Lucy wondered, curious as to what sort of magic would have that name.

"I don't know" Erza confessed "But if it's sealed… it's probably a very powerful piece of magic."

Gray then shook his head in confusion "I don't get it. You heard some guys talking about an unknown magic and a magic seal, so what? Maybe that was their job, it's nothing special."

"Yes" Erza nodded in agreement "that's what I though too and didn't pay it anymore more thought… until I remember the name Erigor" she gave them a piercing stare "The ace of the Eisenwald guild, Shinigami Erigor."

"S-shinigami?!"

"He earned that nickname by completing numerous assassination requests" Lucy shivered. An assassin? At that moment the train pulled to a stop and Erza stood up to leave and they headed to the mail cart to find her luggage, as that was the only place it would fit "Naturally the council forbade assassination requests, but Eisenwald ignored that, choosing the money instead."

"They didn't change their ways, despite several warnings. So then, six years ago" she told them as they headed down the freight plank with her mass of luggage "they were ousted from the Guild Master League, and Eisenwald is now categorized as a Dark Guild."

A bead of sweat ran down into Lucy's impressive cleavage, but that wasn't the point, the point is she was sweating in fear "A dark guild?" she murmured, thinking of Torched Heaven, and of Salamander, and of burnt flesh.

"I see" Gray adjusted his bag.

Two people walked past him, one almost having to drag the other, rather sick looking, guy. Gray briefly got an earful of their conversation.

"Wait, you said they were ousted, but didn't they get punished!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Yes, their master was arrested and the guild ordered to disband. Though most dark guilds ignore the order and keep functioning. Eisenwald did the same."

'_Maybe I'll go home' _Lucy thought, certainly the train behind her was looking a more and more appealing place to be.

"It was a blunder on my part, if only I remembered the name Erigor back on the scene. I would've made them all into a blood offering" the way she said it just then gave Lucy the chills. She sounded utterly, terrifyingly, genuine in her desire to slaughter them.

With a loud 'Choo Choo' the train slowly departed from the station, leaving a sweating nervously Gray to finally work up the courage to talk to the scary red haired mage.

"Um, Erza?" Gray said nervously.

"Yes, what is it Gray?"

"Erigor… and a guy possibly named Kage-something, right?"

"Weren't you listening?" she demanded angrily. She hated it when people didn't listen.

"It's just… two guys just walked past, one said 'I swear Erigor's gonna kill me' and the other said 'Shut up Kagemaru.'"

Erza blinked "Oh I see" she said calmly "WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU STOP THEM?!" she screamed glaring at Gray and almost making the ice mage wet himself.

"I-I didn't think! And I just heard them, and you were talking, and I didn't want to interrupt and…" he had raised his arms up to protect himself from Erza rage. Then he blinked, something else occurring to him "Though to think about it, the first guy said something else… he said 'Are you really…'" Gray stopped and gulped, whether it was fear of Erza, fear of the name he was about to pronounce, or… no it was definitely fear of Erza beating him up for not noticing sooner "'Are you really Salamander?'"

Erza's eyes flashed "Gray, go find a vehicle, I'll stop the train with the emergency lever, Lucy with Gray!" she raced off not waiting for a response.

"C'mon!" Gray shouted back, running off without hesitation.

'_Salamander' _Lucy repeated in her head. She gulped back her own fear, and quite possibly some bile as well, and hurried after Gray "Hey, wait up!"

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The train stopped suddenly, sending Kageyama to his butt and knocking Lullaby out of his bag "Shit, shit, shit!" he cursed stuffing it back in and glancing around. Luckily the train was pretty empty and no one noticed.

"It… it stopped" Salamander said struggling to his feet.

"Err, yeah" Kageyama said, torn between amusement, bewilderment, and fear. Ever since the train started moving Natsu had been nigh on unconscious and incomprehensible. Apparently he suffered from severe travel sickness, who would've guessed? But such a powerful mage was not to be laughed at lightly, even when puking up his guts.

"Where are you meeting Eripor, and the final destination?" Salamander demanded hurriedly.

"Kunugi, like I told you. And Clover is where we're-Where are you going?!" Natsu was hurrying to the doors.

"I'm out of here, I'll meet you along the way" he shouted back.

"Huh?"

"There is no way I'm staying on this tortuous contraption any longer" Natsu explained "Bye" he hurried to the doors.

A voice suddenly came over the loudspeaker _"We have confirmed that the emergency break was activated due to a false report, so we will depart again shortly. We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. Thank you for traveling with…"_

"No, no, no don't start moving" he cursed as the train started up again. Then he glanced at the window close by, and the wall as well "Desperate times I suppose."

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Erza drove the magic four wheeler hard, as fast, and slightly faster, than the thing could go and far faster than the instructions and safety manual advised.

Not only Eisenwald, but Salamander as well?

Erza was determined to not let them out of her grasp, neither of them would escape her a second time.

'_Which carriage?' _she wondered as they came up alongside the now moving train. Her earlier forced stop had managed to slow it down considerably and gave them chance to catch up, but she couldn't keep up this speed forever.

Then the side of the train exploded.

A blob of pink hair emerged… and promptly collided with the carriage just to her left.

Erza brought the four wheeler to a skidding halt, and the man slid gracelessly to the ground, landing with a heavy thump and a groan.

"Are you okay?" she asked, leaning over the side of the cart.

"ARGH!" the man scrambled back at the sight of her, at least she thought it was her "Keep it away from me. Keep that bloody cart away from me" he shivered nervously as he stared at the damnable thing "Bloody transportation" he dragged himself off dusting his clothes "Bloody Charmain, Bloody Eisenwald."

"Eisenwald?" Erza repeated. What was his connection to them?

"Honestly" the man continued, ignoring her quiet query and instead opting to glare at the fading train "What's the big deal anyway. It's just some stupid flute, not even a nice one either, I mean what's with those three eyes and a skull, what's a weird flute. Argh, fuck it."

"Who are you?" Erza spoke up, drawing the man's attention. And it was then, as he turned face her, that she noticed something, something on the front of his red t-shirt that was perhaps usually covered by his dark green zip up jacket. A shaft of golden light, being consumed by scarlet flames.

"Torched Heaven" she said quietly, her voice low but all the more dangerous for it "You are… Salamander!"

The man blinked before following where her gaze had been and looking down at his chest, upon seeing the revealed symbol he blinked and chuckled nervously "Haha, woops. Charmain's always lecturing me about secrecy and not giving away my guild to enemies. He'll be on my case about this too" he sighed "Ah well, I would stay and chat but I've got places to be" with that said and a small wave Salamander wandered over to the train tracks and began walking along one, balancing on the steel rail "Ah, a lovely stroll in the open air, and with such nice weather, what a wonderful day to not be dead" he murmured contentedly.

"Um, you do realise that walking there isn't safe, right?" Gray put in, not sure what was going on but warning the guy anyway.

"Huh, what do you…"

**Choo, Choo!**

And he was promptly carried away by the front of a train travelling in the opposite direction.

Gray stared at the vanishing train _'One actually came?'_

Erza, meanwhile, glared at the final carriage as it faded from view. She wanted to pursue him so much that it hurt, but…

"Lullaby" both she and Gray turned at Lucy's quivering voice "It can't be."

"Lucy, what's wrong?" she inquired.

"It's just a story, it's made up… but… A cursed flute… Lullaby… Death magic!" the others looked confused "There's such a thing as Murder by Curse, right? Well Lullaby is worse. Once it was just a tool for the murder by curse, but then, the story goes, the Dark Mage Zeref changed it, making it a mass death spell! Anyone who hears its tune dies" Lucy shivered at the thought, it was just a story… but…

Erza felt her face turn cold with fury "Gray! Lucy! We're going after that train!" Salamander could wait, especially now.

But…_ 'I won't forget your face Salamander, I swear the moment this is done I'll hunt you down' _she swore as she guided the four wheeler after the train again.

She still hadn't realised that she had already met him once before.

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"Get all the passengers and the driver off the train" Erigor said to his lackeys "Eisenwald is taking over."

They hurried to obey his orders, kicking off passengers and throwing the driver out of his cabin.

Inside the train Kageyama was waiting, calmly sat and smiling "I heard you were going to come on this train Kageyama, we've been waiting for you" though he asked no questions only a fool wouldn't know what he wanted.

"I broke the seal" Kageyama informed him, rather proud of his accomplishment, it was no mean feat after all "Here it is…" he handed over the strange, skull like flute with three eyes.

"I see…" Erigor examined it "So this is the mass death magic, Lullaby" he smiled.

Behind him the other members of Eisenwald cheered.

"What's up with the damage?" he asked suddenly, eyeing the missing wall on one carriage.

"Err… I met up with Salamander, of Torched Heaven, he said he'd met up with us along the way to Clover town" Kageyama hoped he hadn't made any mistakes in what he'd done, if he had then…

"Don't worry, I can handle Salamander" Erigor said arrogantly.

"Also" Kageyama spoke more quietly, not sure if he should speak out about this "the train made an emergency stop just outside Onibus, and there were some guys behind us on a four wheeler, I think they were chasing the train."

"You know who?"

Kageyama bit his own lip "I saw the… the Fairy Tail guild mark on this girls armour."

"Fairy Tail? Do they know about Lullaby" Erigor asked dangerously.

"I-I don't think so" he said nervously "But the girl… I think I saw her before, in a bar in Onibus… and… well… we might've, sort of, talked a bit loudly in there…"

His ears popped suddenly and he knew that the change in pressure had been caused my Erigor, and flinched back. Erigor's eyes were dark with rage, then he smiled "I see, hehe, then I guess we'll have to… greet our guests… haha!"

Kageyama almost felt bad for them, almost.

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Miles back, behind Erigor and the train and behind Erza and the magic four wheeler, Natsu, who had managed to remove himself from the trains grill in Onibus when it stopped, much to the shock of the driver, who hadn't noticed him, and the station attendants, who thought he was dead, glared angrily at the rails departing into the distance.

"Well… Fuck!" he grinned "Okay time for plan R, R for Rocket Powered!" and with that flames consumed his arms and legs and he was sent hurtling through the air. None to accurately as he crashed after ten odd seconds, but quickly he was back in the air, and this time he decided to go a bit higher, like fifty feet maybe and certainly not try skimming close to the ground.

He still managed to crash four more times.

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Hours later Natsu was staring at a wind barrier surrounding some train station in some town, he wasn't certain which. It was Oshibana town for clarification, but Natsu didn't know that, he just knew that wind magic was Erigor's speciality and therefore the giant wind barrier was as good a place as any too look for the guy.

"So… is he inside?" he wondered, his voice barely audible over the gusting winds the dome was creating.

The pink haired man kicked a cobblestone, which only really served to hurt his toe, but he regretted nothing, mainly because he forgot about it two seconds later.

"I'll just blast my way in then!" he decided cheerfully, gathering up the necessary magic.

An orb of fire formed in his palm, gradually growing in size from little more than a speck to the point where it spilled over his fingers. Natsu kept gathering the magic, forcing the orb to remain this easily managed size, until the point where the flames actually started to tingle on his skin, this showed their impressive heat and power and also told him it was ready.

"That should do it" and with that he tossed the fireball straight into the wall.

The barrier was consumed in a massive flaming explosion. Many people would swear that they had seen the entire town of Oshibana consumed in flames, other would say it had been wiped out entirely in a giant explosion, but in reality the dome over the station was covered in flames a few moments before it died down, the magic powering it burning away in Salamander's flames and the air that was manipulated by the magic facing the same issue.

As the wind settled Natsu came face to face with a group of people he had never seen before… actually he had just met them earlier but had already forgotten all about that encounter or possibly was suffering from memory loss due to being hit by a train.

So he surveyed the red haired, black haired, pink haired, and blonde haired people with a small amount of interest.

"Am I no longer necessary, Princess?" the pink haired woman, who was for some reason dressed as a mage, asked the blonde.

"Um…" the blonde blinked, then glanced wearily at Natsu, who glanced right back.

"Punishment?" the pink haired girl put in hopefully.

A sword appeared in the redhead's hand, and black haired guy gathered magic around his fists, icicles forming in the air around them.

Unfortunately Natsu noticed none of that having found something that interested him in the form of the half dead Kageyama lying wrapped in bandages at the station front "Whoa! Kale, you're all messed up" he poked the injured man with a finger, grinning with cat-like curiosity "What the hell happened?"

"Urgh…" Kageyama opened his eyes blearily "Sa-Salamander."

"Someone did a right number on you, mate."

"Salamander" a clank of steel behind him caused Natsu to turn and look up at the armoured sword wielding redhead who stood, towering above his crouching form.

He gazed at her a second, briefly glancing at her companions, the blonde had taken several steps back and was shivering, and openly flinched from his gaze when she noticed it, and the black haired guy was just watching though his magic was ready, meanwhile the pink girl just stared in a wide eyed, blank expression way "Hmm?" finding them not so interesting anymore he turned back to Kageyama "Oi, Kagemara, where's the windy bastard gone?"

"It's Kageyama" Kageyama wheezed, for what must've been the twelfth time since meeting Salamander, the guy really couldn't remember names "I told you, Clover" he mumbled, struggling for breath "along the rails."

"Okay" Natsu stood up "See you later, Kageyage."

"'yama'" he muttered, though Natsu paid no attention.

Cold steel touched the back of his neck, and Natsu turned his head to glance at the redhead from the corner of his eyes "You want something?"

"Do you think I'll let you leave, Salamander?!" Erza told him sternly, her face awash with anger.

Natsu just shrugged and shot a grin back at her "Just try and stop me sweetheart" and in a flash of bright orange fire, that very nearly burnt Erza and her companions, he was gone, rocketing away at incredible speeds and leaving a trail of flames behind in the sky that slowly faded away, but only long after Salamander had disappeared.

"Dammit!" Erza cursed, throwing her sword away in anger, but before it could hit the ground it was back in her pocket dimension, her magic automatically re-storing the blade "Grab him" she gestured to the near unconscious Kageyama "I'll find us another vehicle."

No one moved.

"Quickly!" and with a dark angry roar from the redhead they moved quicker than they ever had done before in their life, even the unconscious Kageyama moved a bit quicker.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Erigor was rather enjoying his flight towards Clover town, having recovered enough magic to fly, the wind barrier he had used was draining even for someone of his level, and he was of course revelling in his victory as he flew. Soon the Guild Master League they had been kicked out of would know fear and, more importantly, death, their guilds would be in disarray, panic would set in, and above it all would be Erigor playing a sweet tune that would bring the end to them all.

He cackled at the thought.

Then a stream of fire burning right across his path almost knocked him from the sky.

The lauded 'Shinigami' landed nimbly on the rails, leaning his scythe over his shoulder, and waited for the blazing form to turn around. It didn't disappoint and turned in a reasonably wide turning circle and shot back towards him.

Erigor was ready for a fight, he didn't know who this guy was but whoever he was Shinigami Erigor was ready for him, and whoever it was, he wasn't ready for Shinigami Erigor.

The man crashing headfirst into the rails rather spoiled his thoughts of difficult and dangerous enemies.

"Ow…" the man slowly clambered to his feet "Fuck" he rubbed at his bruised forehead "Okay, I seriously need better accuracy."

"Who are you?" Erigor demanded coldly, twirling his scythe.

The man glanced at him "Are you Eligol, of the… err… what's it name? Aisenworld? Err, something like that. So are you him?"

Erigor twitched a bit, was this guy for real, but spoke in the same chilling tones as before "I am Shinigami Erigor, the Ace of the Dark Guild Eisenwald. Now who the hell are you?"

"Names Natsu" the man said, casually yawning, not at all affect by his angry tone "Also known as Salamander. I'm here from Torched Heaven… for some reason or another" Natsu scratched his head, why was he here again? "Oh, Lullaby! Something to do with Lullaby... what exactly, I don't know, but something."

Erigor blinked. Had he forgotten his mission? Was this guy really the feared Salamander? Did Salamander really have such a stupid looking and weirdly innocent face? "Are you really Salamander?"

"Tch, Shikayama asked me that too? Seriously what's up with you people, of course I am! Would I say am I if I weren't, of course I wouldn't, cause then I'd have to kill me for using my name when it wasn't my name…" Natsu scratched his head "Yeah, that makes sense" he decided after a moments deep thought, or rather a moment trying to gather up the effort necessary to think about it deeper, then giving up and deciding 'Fuck it, that'll do.'

"Shikayama?" Who the hell was that? What was the hell was with this guy? And was there a pun somewhere in all of this?

"Yeah, you know" Natsu shrugged "that shadow guy."

"You mean…" shadow guy could only really mean "…Kageyama?"

"Was that his name?" Natsu wondered, scratching his head "Ah well, I'm sure it was him" he was never the best at remembering people's names, but they were probably talking about the same dude. Probably.

Erigor could only blink.

"So" Natsu drew out the word "what are we using this Lullaby thing for?"

He shook his head. If this guy really was Salamander he'd have to be careful, but not too careful, if it came down to it he could handle Salamander, Erigor truly believed that "We're going to kill the Guild Masters gathering in Clover town."

Natsu blinked "And you need this Lullaby magic for that?"

Erigor scowled. Just what was this guy implying with that comment?

"Why not just fight them?" Natsu continued.

He almost snarled. Why? Cause he couldn't win against all of them, but he wasn't going to admit that to anyone, never mind Salamander.

Seeing that he wasn't going to answer Natsu pouted, the grinned "Hey, Erigog."

"What?" Erigor snarled, was this guy getting his name wrong on purpose? Pretty much everything about him made Erigor want to cut of his head, from the childish expressions he made to the relaxed manner in which he was talking to Shinigami Erigor.

"I have an idea" Natsu said proudly.

"An idea?"

"Yeah, a good idea, a fun one" his grin remained firmly in place.

"Well, spit it out" he snapped when Natsu didn't continue immediately.

"You know we're being pursued, right, by mages?"

"Yeah, a group from Fairy Tail" Kageyama had told him in Kunugi, and he'd met them face to face in Oshibana. Erza Scarlet and two others he didn't know, only Scarlet was worth any worry and they were all trapped in a wind barrier.

"Well, how about we fight them?"

Why would they want to do that? And besides… "They're trapped in a wind barrier in Oshibana" he told Salamander. If he followed the rails surely he wouldn't miss that.

"So that wind barrier was yours… I see. Well, they're not anymore."

Erigor scowled, there was no way "They managed to dispel it?"

"No. I destroyed it!" Natsu told him cheerfully.

For a moment he could only stare "Why the hell did you do that?!" Erigor shouted.

"Well I knew I was searching for a wind mage, and there was a giant wind barrier, so I assumed you were in there, and in there I met Kageyama, and he told me you'd headed on to Clover and the group from… Fair Pail was it, well they were there with him, and then I left to chase after you, and so if they pursued you this far they're probably still doing so."

Erigor growled. This guy was seriously pissing him off. His grip on his scythe tightened.

"So, let's fight them!" Natsu declared happily.

"Do what you want, I'm going to kill the guild masters" he turned to leave.

But a hand grabbed his shoulder, he turned his head, and came face to face with Salamander. Not Natsu, not the cheery and hyper boy he had been speaking to before. This was Salamander, a terrifying mage, one of the most powerful amongst all the Dark Guild's, and Erigor stood before him, an ant before a dragon "Erigor" this was the first time Natsu had gotten his name right, and Erigor felt like he was talking to an entirely different person. Staring into those eyes, feeling that aura of power that surrounded him, it was like, nay it was worse, than staring down a dragon "Let's play a game. We fight the mages pursuing us. If we win the guild masters die, if we lose then… well we die I guess."

"If _we _lose."

"Ah, good point" Natsu grinned, the monster Erigor had been terrified of was gone replaced by this grinning idiot. Didn't mean he could forget it "If _you_ win then go kill the guild masters, don't wait for me, and if you lose, then… I guess I'll be claiming Lullaby, hmm?"

For a moment Erigor shivered, this guy, he really was Salamander, there was no doubt "Alright, fine, I'll play. All I have to do is swat a few fairies from the sky, right? Easy."

"Alright!" Natsu grinned, things were going to be fun, he was sick of the lack of fun this job had offered so far, so this would be a nice change of pace.

And with that agreed upon Natsu sat himself down while Erigor waited, leaning his scythe over his shoulder and glancing over at Natsu nervously.

He now knew why Torched Heaven's Salamander was so feared. Because he was a powerful, terrifying, awe-inspiring, hyperactive idiot prone to violent mood swings.

Not the safest person to hang around with.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As two figures came into view in the distance, Erza's hand tightened over the four wheelers steering handle.

They were waiting for them, one was sat down, the other had a scythe slung over his shoulder. Both looked as though they'd been waiting a while. While they had been racing furiously to catch up, these two, all the while, had waited. Inside the carriage Lucy tensed up and Gray prepared himself mentally, while Kageyama sat there barely conscious. They had been forced to take him with them because leaving him to die just wasn't right and there wasn't anyone in Oshibana that they could see so they planned to take him to a doctor in Clover.

They skidded to a halt and Erza leapt down, as Gray and Lucy emerged from different side doors, and moved to stand nearer Erza.

"Salamander" Erza muttered, glaring at the pink haired man "Erigor" she glanced at the man next to him.

As Erigor scowled at them, a grin spread across Salamander's face, a grin that promised pain and suffering and death to any who crossed him.

The party was just getting started.

* * *

But won't continue for another week... hehe, bit of crappy party isn't it?

Anyway the long awaited Natsu Erza encounter is coming, like an oncoming storm, like a rain of fire burning down upon you ready to consume flesh, bone and steel alike, it come and if you are not ready it will burn, burn everything to ash, burn this entire world down to nothing. Be prepared dear readers, or else you may be burned as well.

Toodles.


	4. Red, The Colour of Her

**Chapter 4:Red, The Colour of Her…**

"Yo!" Salamander greeted them, his malicious grin replaced by a cheerful friendly tooth flashing smile.

Momentarily, Gray, Lucy and Erza were thrown by his strangely friendly greeting. But they regained their composure quickly. If this man truly was Salamander of Torched Heaven they'd need to be ready. And even if he wasn't the man next to him was certainly Eisenwald's Erigor, so they'd still need to be prepared.

The only thing that continued to trouble them was 'Why are they waiting for us?'

"Which one of you three is the strongest?" Natsu inquired, looking at each of them in turn thinking maybe it was the blonde, if boobs were any indication of power that is.

Without a second thought Gray pointed to Erza.

Without a second thought Lucy pointed to Erza.

Without a second thought Erza… well, she also pointed at Erza.

"Hehe, alright" Natsu grinned, this was going to be fun.

Suddenly Erza was falling down into the ravine, having been pushed several feet back by Natsu's open palm, over the edge of the bridge the railway was on.

"Erza!" Lucy cried, watching her friend fall.

"You…" Gray prepared his magic, but before he could act Salamander had walked to the edge himself and stood there precariously.

"Remember the game, Erigor" he reminded his partner in crime, turning so that his back was to the drop.

"Yeah, yeah" Erigor grumbled "All I have to do is kill these two, right?"

"Yep!" Natsu grinned "See you later" and with that he leaned backwards and fell headfirst into the abyss.

Gray cursed, glaring at the falling Salamander, before turning to face Erigor, who was swinging his scythe experimentally.

"I'll finish this up quickly" he told them, wind building up around him.

Lucy grabbed Taurus's key from her belt, Gray placed the bottom edge of his fist against the flat of his palm "Ice Make…"

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A number of thoughts passed through his mind as he fell, the first was 'What should I have for dinner?' He quickly decided to have roast beef, and then roast lamb, and then a gammon joint, and then a whole roasted chicken, and if he was still peckish maybe an entire chocolate fudge cake with a carton of clotted cream ice cream on the side. Yeah, that sounded nice.

The second thought that crossed his mind was 'If I land on my head it'll hurt' so he decided not to land on his head, but didn't make any moves to turn himself over and continued his descent headfirst.

The third thought was something along the lines of 'I hate transportation' which was just a general thought floating round his head, and the fourth was 'I wonder if pigeons ever get bored of flying?' because he saw some pigeons out of the corner of his eyes and it made him think of pigeons, while the fifth began with 'I quite like falling…' but never went any further than that.

The reason for that is simple, the steel blade carving through the air at him.

Natsu set his feet ablaze, using them to jet himself down to the ground quicker and move out of way of the precisely timed sword strike, timed so perfectly it would cut him mere nanoseconds after he reached that particular height.

He flipped and landed hard on his feet, almost cracking the rock below him, and glanced upwards trying to get a look at his opponent, but the fog obscured them from view.

What he could see was the large rock falling towards him, with nice flat clean edges carved immaculately by the self-same sword that had been intending on slicing him into two even pieces, hell it likely by the self-same strike that had been intending on slicing him into two even pieces.

Instead of moving Natsu just waited until it was almost crushing him, then, with a blazing fist, he punched up at the rock.

It shattered over his head from the force of his blow. The boulder many times his size simply cracked into shards and landed as rubble around where he stood at the bottom of the ravine, and Natsu finally got a good look at his opponent who stood twenty meters away from him, watching cautiously as the rock crumbled over his head.

She was no longer wearing that conservative breastplate and skirt combo she had been wearing before, instead she was wearing a rather revealing set of… armour was it? Whatever it was it had this weird cheetah motif thing going on.

A very revealing top patterned with cheetah spots, with some bare armour metal pieces emerging just before the top ended and her breasts began, and some fur along the bottom edge. Both her arms were covered by long dark armbands reaching up to just below her shoulders, but only her left arm had any armour consisting of a cheetah patterned pauldron and a bracer around her forearm.

Below that was a pair of very short black shorts, and over them a belt holding a piece of cloth, that hung over her left leg and hip, in place, and a pair of black stockings, similar to the armbands, reached up to her thighs. On her feet were a pair of armoured high heeled boots and, as with her arms, the left side was more armoured than the right with the boot reaching up to her knees which was in turn protected by a cheetah pattern knee guard, while her right legs boot ended just after her calf began.

The outfit was completed by a large collar around her neck and a tail hanging from the back of her shorts, both of which were made of bushy fur, and finally a pair of cheetah ear like hair adornments on either side of her head.

Also on hand was a pair of slim swords with a round guard that strangely resembled a rose with yellow thorny extensions hanging over the length of the blades themselves.

While Natsu was busy examining his opponents new attire, Erza was, in turn, busy scrutinising him.

He was reasonably tall, slightly taller than her, but he wasn't massive. He was well muscled, not super bulky but no lightweight either. He had pink hair, which was unusual but not something to gawk over for too long. All in all, he looked… rather normal. But the Torched Heaven mark plastered there on his t-shirt made her certain he was anything but.

This was Salamander, and she couldn't expect him to go down as easily as Bora of the Prominence, the fake Salamander, had.

Natsu grinned at her, done with his scrutiny "Shall we get on with this?" he asked her, setting his fists ablaze.

Erza said nothing, but raised her twin swords in preparation.

He charged, swinging his flaming fists wildly. Erza danced around his wide, slow blows, not taking any of the openings he offered and he offered a whole lot. She wanted to be certain he wasn't just playing with her before making a move, as falling into his trap right now would not end well for her.

They both backed off from the initial bout, Natsu jumping back out of her range, while Erza reaffirmed her footing but remained where she was.

Natsu grinned brightly. This girl was good, he was certain of that just from their initial spat. He was now certain that this was going to be one fun fight.

Erza lowered her stance, holding one blade extended in front of her, the other held behind her, the blade hanging over her head, and she waited. He would come to her, she was certain of it.

And he didn't disappoint.

His moves were sharper this time, not so wasteful. Rather than wide swinging blows he attacked with sharp jabs, keeping his fists tucked close to his chest almost like a boxer. She continued dancing around the blow waiting for the perfect opportunity.

When Erza tried to block his fist on the blade of her sword, which would likely cut the hand of any normal human in two simply from the force of the punch, she found that, although the blade did draw blood, they didn't carve through his hands like butter. In fact he was left virtually undamaged save a shallow gash. But the flames spilling over from his punches were damaging, and she was forced leap back to avoid their fiery embrace.

From then on she blocked with the flat of her blade, when she dared, or needed, to block at all, the wider surface area preventing the flames from spilling over.

He was strong. Erza had faced punches from Elfman, the, physically, strongest man in their guild and a man who was far bulkier and heavyset than Salamander, who looked positively lithe in comparison, and shrugged them off without a second thought, but Natsu's punches were far more powerful. Whether it was the flames consuming his hands or simply that he was incredibly physically strong, Salamander's punches could push even her back. And so she rarely dared to block, not certain she could hold off his blows.

Making a split second decision Erza switched her twin swords for two daggers with fur covered pommels and a sabre-toothed tigers head as a guard.

She darted past him, using the superior speed of her Flight Armour to her advantage, her short blades gleaming as they cut flesh.

At the last moment Natsu managed to raise his arms to cover his face and some of his chest, but the damage was still severe. Deep lacerations cut over his forearms, blood dripping down his arms, his abdomen had a long diagonal gash along it and a shallow wound in his shoulder showed just how close she had gotten to carving his neck wide open.

Salamander turned to face her, his wounds steaming despite the heat of the summer they were experiencing.

And all he did, injured and bleeding, was grin.

"My names Natsu" he introduced himself, flicking his forearms to remove some of the blood, which was quickly replaced as the wounds bled some more "Natsu Dragneel. I belong to the guild Torched Heaven. I'm also known as Salamander" it was a formal introduction he saved for his good enemies, everyone else he would burn without a second thought or glance, but not this girl. She was special for one simple reason. She was strong.

Erza frowned, wondering what his purpose was. As she watched him seal his wounds shut with fire, cauterising his own flesh without a wince, she made a decision. Standing upright, leaving her fighting stance, she faced him at her full height "I am Erza Scarlet of the mage guild Fairy Tail. Some call me Fairy Queen Titania" she would return the courtesy, if only because it was polite.

"Fairy Queen Titania" Natsu repeated the word "Erza Scarlet" he grinned "I'll remember that."

And with a roar they leapt back into the eternal dance that was battle.

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Lucy was knocked over, falling flat on her arse from a blast of wind magic from Erigor.

Damn but he was strong. His wind cut through Gray's ice magic not with ease but not with much effort either, and Taurus had ended up in several pieces mere moments after being summoned.

Biting back tears as she remembered the pained expression on her spirits face as he was torn apart Lucy consulted her other keys.

Aquarius wasn't an option. First of all there was no water around here. Second of all it wasn't a day she could summon the water spirit, and if Lucy summoned her again on an off day she'd be spanked… again. And thirdly Erigor could fly so the only people Aquarius would wash away would be her and Gray, and the mermaid would do that happily any day.

Cancer… well, he could work, but she'd need a good opportunity where he wouldn't end up in pieces like Taurus.

As for Virgo, there wasn't much ground nearby and burrowing through a railway bridge wasn't really a smart idea or even all that possible, and also Erigor could fly so her digging magic would probably not work, even if she could use it.

Deciding to forgo a key for now Lucy grabbed her whip and snapped it in the air, unfurling it to its full length. Summoning both Taurus and Virgo in such a short space of time had drained her, so she decided to wait for a good moment.

"Gray, do you have a plan?" she shouted to the boy standing several feet down the rail tracks from her, in between her and Gray was Erigor, spinning his scythe. She swiped her whip in his direction but it just bounced off of the wind surrounding him.

"Ice Make Lance!" a number of frozen spears emerged from Gray's hand, thrusting forwards to impale Erigor.

And they were shattered into shards of ice before they came within five feet of the man.

"Not at the moment" Gray shouted back.

Erigor glanced over his shoulder at the blonde fairy behind him, then slashed his scythe sending a blade of wind in her direction.

Lucy dived, flattening herself to the ground, which was harder than it seemed because of her more than ample bosom. The blade passed overhead, brushing the hairs on top of her head but not slicing her in two.

She tried to hit him with her whip again, but this time he caught it around the shaft of his scythe and yanked hard, pulling her over and the whip out of her grasp. He flung it to one side, into the ravine, and turned his attention back to Gray who had created an Ice Bazooka while he was distracted.

Spinning his scythe Erigor blocked the fired shot, and the next one and the next one.

'_Tch' _he mentally scoffed _'Salamander actually wanted to fight these flies? I guess I overestimated him. These guys are just plain pathetic.'_

"Fuck" Gray cursed, no matter what he did it seemed like he couldn't every get a hit in, while he had already taken several, as the scrapes and cuts on his body attested to.

Erigor grinned darkly _'I'll finish this up quickly, and then go kill the Guild Masters, and once I'm done there, I'll deal with Salamander. With that Eisenwald will gain fame and fortune beyond our… Why the hell is he taking off his shirt?'_

Gray was subconsciously stripping, again, already down to just his trousers and shoes, and his boxers of course but you couldn't currently see them, and also not forgetting the necklace that he always had around his neck. What was that anyway? And what was so important about it that Gray always wore it despite his stripping habit? Was it just so small that he didn't think to take it off? Was it some kind of memento? Or was it the primary and sole means of defeating the Dark Brings? Ah well.

"Ice Make Hammer!" he formed a large hammer above Erigor's head.

Erigor glanced up at it, before raising his hand and blasting it with wind magic, the shards falling rather beautifully as they glistened in the sun. Not that anyone cared to admire it.

He was breathing heavily, he was injured, and he was downright fucking pissed, it was not a good day to be Gray Fullbuster "Lucy, I have a plan, distract him!" he shouted at the blonde mage.

Lucy blinked "Huh?"

"You do realise I can hear you?" Erigor muttered, his eyes not leaving Gray.

His eyes still didn't leave Gray as a weird crab like being charged him, they briefly flicked away as he blasted the being with a blast of wind magic, damaging it enough to return it to the Spirit World, then turned his gaze back to the ice mage, who was now down on one knee, exhausted from all the magic he had been using.

"Is that all?" he asked, glancing at the blonde who could only wince and huddle in on herself to try to make herself less of a target, and then walked towards the dark haired boy, raising his scythe to carve of his head "Shame."

"No, Gray!" seeing her comrade, her guild mate, her friend, in danger Lucy pushed past her fear and she ran, full body, charging at Erigor. It was a hopeless gesture, but it all she could do.

Erigor turned to face her, spinning his scythe wildly. This little bitch was going down.

"Ice Make Prison!"

A giant intricate cage of hardened ice fell around him, caging him in.

Erigor cursed violently and started blasting the icy bars, but there was no give in them, not to this level of magic.

He blasted the two mages outside the cage but the ice mage managed to reach his blonde friend in time to raise an icy shield that protected them from the blast, though it shattered quickly afterwards.

Glaring with all the fury he could muster, Erigor quickly realised that he would have to blast this cage hard, and with some taxing magic, in order to break free. He cursed again and gritted his teeth as magic and wind gathered in his palm.

Gray watched the spectacle safely from outside the cage "Alright" he mumbled quietly, so quiet Lucy barely heard.

"Gray?"

"He'll have to use up a lot of magic with that, that's our chance. Here" he quickly made and handed a large bow of ice to her, along with five arrows "I'll create our openings, likely he's going to be pissed off and will come after me first, get further back, but not so far that I can't reach you quickly if he decides to target you, and Lucy… nice distraction!" he offered her a grim smile, that Lucy couldn't help but return.

She nodded, grabbing the bow, wincing a bit as it froze her fingers, but forcing herself to bear it she ran twenty metres behind where Gray stood, waiting for Erigor to break free, and notched her first arrow. Lucy had next to no experience at archery, actually she just had 'no' experience at archery, but that would have to do.

With an explosion of icy shards, Erigor broke free from the cage, floating in mid-air, and glared down at Gray. He shot forwards on a burst of wind, his scythe ready to slice.

"Ice Make Lance!"

Erigor darted around them and kept moving forwards.

Lucy aimed for the moment when he would slow to cut Gray in half, and, seconds before he reached it, she let loose her arrow _'Now!'_

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Both Erza and Natsu landed in the dirt with a thud, the burning explosion left behind from their clash slowly fading as the two stumbled to their feet.

Erza had switched from her Flight Armour to the slightly more conservative but still more revealing than protective looking Fire Empress Armour, which increased her resistance to flame attacks. And it certainly had its work cut out against Salamander.

Natsu, meanwhile, had managed to lose his jacket, or rather it had been cut into shreds by Titania's sword, and gain numerous gashes on his t-shirt and trousers, along with more than a few scrapes on his face and arms not to mention the sealed shut wounds that still marred his forearms.

This was by no means a one-sided battle however, Erza had scrapes on her face and she was certain that she'd have some dark bruises on her arms and legs, not to mention the minor burns where his flames had scorched her skin.

The fight was damn near equal, Erza's adaptability, her ever changing style and flow, was being pressed hard by Natsu's raw power and single minded charge.

Deciding who was winning this battle was like deciding if a boulder in a river was winning against the water. It was forcing the water to flow around it, surely that was a victory, but eventually it would be worn down, slowly but surely, and that too was a victory. The question here was, would the river keep flowing long enough to wear down the boulder?

And Erza wasn't certain she would.

"Haha" Natsu chuckled "I haven't had this much fun in ages, Titania" he grinned.

Erza scowled, raising her red longsword in preparation.

With a roared he charged. Erza jumped to one side avoiding his flaming fist which instead impacted on the ground, cracking the dirt beneath their feet and leaving a small crater in his wake.

Salamander could breathe fire from his lungs, summon fire around his body, and was pretty much un-burnable, which she learned when throwing his own flames back at him using her swords ability.

These abilities alone wouldn't make him a difficult opponent though, what made him difficult was his durability, his raw power, and his mindless determination. He didn't seemed phased by the injures she had carved into his flesh, not the one on his leg, his waist, his arms, nothing. None of them seemed to impair his movements, if they did at all.

And his power was immensely destructive too. Before there had been numerous rocky spires surrounding them, now they were surrounded by rubble and flames that had yet to die. She had witnessed their potency once before, supposedly it had taken a week for the fires in Hargeon Prison to die, even when doused with water and dirt the flames still refused to burn out. But she hadn't witnessed their explosive power. Needless to say she had now witnessed more than she'd ever want to.

He was after her in a heartbeat, following her leap, fists flying, left, right, left, right, duck, left, block, lean back, duck, jump back, run to the side to avoid the roar of flames, left, right, left, right, right, left leg, spinning right leg, jump back.

While Erza's mused over his abilities and tried to figure out a way to beat him, Natsu was having the time of his life.

This, THIS! This is what he lived for! This is what he craved! This is what he wanted, wished for, day and night! Some excitement. Some risk. Some danger! Someone who could match him blow for blow. Someone who could hit just as hard, and take just as many hits. Someone who would keep fighting until the bitter, burning, end.

The thrill of battle was the only thing that had ever got Natsu's heart racing, the anticipation was the only thing that had ever made his knees weak, the feeling of victory was like ecstasy to him, but the most satisfying part was the battle itself. In many ways Natsu was in love with battle. The god of war was the only god who would receive his patronage, and the war god loved him as much as Natsu loved war, for Natsu had never lost, he had never been defeated. Since the mark of Torched Heaven was seared into his back Natsu had become undefeated, undefeatable, invincible, he was the war god incarnate with the powers of the fire god, or rather, the powers of a Fire Dragon.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!" he let loose a stream of flames, consuming all before him. A flash of movement told him Titania had escaped and so he stopped his attack instead waiting for her to attack.

She was there in a flash, her crimson longsword making long slices at his body. Natsu leapt clean over her, and the deadly steel web her blade wove, and spun, his fist ablaze, to attack her from behind.

But she was ready and flesh and steel clashed as she blocked with the flat of her blade. Erza was pushed back in the dirt from the sheer force of his punch, but held her ground despite her aching muscles and the churned up dirt beneath her feet.

Fist and sword pushed against each other a while longer, but the victor was obvious, Natsu was just too strong.

So Erza leapt back, out of the range of his fists, her breathing heavy and her eyes heavier.

"You look tired, Titania" Natsu told her conversationally.

She glared at him through the blur that was her vision, unconsciously requipping into her Heart Kreuz Armour, and the white blouse and blue skirt she wore beneath it, the Fire Empress Armour to taxing on her magic right now to be maintained. She had used too much magic earlier.

Salamander just stood, waiting, whether for her to make the first move or proof that her current weakness wasn't faked she didn't know, but Erza did know he wouldn't wait long. She'd have to be ready by then. The next few moments were spent gathering her breath and her magic, trying to recuperate as best she could in the short space of time.

Salamander still didn't make a move, not when half a minute passed into a minute and then into five, he just waited, until Erza finally stood upright "Ready now?" he asked her, stretching in anticipation.

'_He actually left me alone to recover… such arrogance' _still it worked out well for her so she wasn't going to complain, at least no more than that. She didn't switch her armour this time, still not having the power to maintain one for too long, and instead requipped two massive battle-axes into her hands.

And the fight resumed, massive axe blades swinging in wide arcs that were fatal but easy enough to dodge, at least Salamander found it easy enough, while burning fists were narrowly dodged by Erza, fists that would shatter bones and crumple steel plate armour.

It was there, in the midst of battle, that she saw her chance.

The axes were gone suddenly and she ducked beneath Salamander's swiping fist, then a set of long chains were gripped in her fists and she spun around to face him, manipulating the chains quickly and skilfully with her gauntleted hands.

Natsu only realised what was going on as the chains surrounded his entire body. He lifted up his left hand and grabbed the ones around his neck before they could fully tighten and choke him to death, but the force of her yank, and the fact that his other arm and both his legs were all chained up as well, sent him crashing to the ground. He struggled a few moments but with how tight Titania had a hold on them he wouldn't be getting free anytime soon.

"Salamander" and then she stood above him, proud and imposing, like a true Knight of Justice, ready to bring down the evil villain, which Natsu supposed, in this situation, was him "For the crimes you have committed you must face justice, surrender now" it wasn't a request, it wasn't a 'surrender now _or else_' it was just 'surrender now' in her mind there was no question of what he would do and if he chose differently to how she wished matters to go then she would _correct _him. And the chains tightening around his entire body was just a precaution and not at all intimidation tactics, she would've nodded in agreement with herself were it not for the serious nature of the situation.

Natsu leaned his head backwards, staring up at Scarlet who stood behind his head where it lay on the ground. He blinked a moment "Um…"

She stared down at him with dauntless brown eyes.

"…You do realise that, from this angle, I can see your underwear."

Erza blinked, then followed the line of his gaze to the hem of her skirt… and squealed "Kyah!" she practically leapt backwards, unconsciously letting go of the chains that bound him in favour of holding down her skirt.

Natsu grinned as he struggled out of the chains, while Scarlet glared at him red faced and still holding her skirt down "Quite daring, aren't you?" he teased "Red, the same colour as your hair."

"You're wrong! They're white, plain white!" Erza denied furiously.

Natsu's grin widened "White, I see."

Scarlet's face turned scarlet as she realised what he had done, not only had he gotten free of the chains she had painstakingly bound him in, he had also managed to wheedle the colour of her panties from her own lips. He hadn't seen them, that had been a bluff, but it was close enough, literally in this case, to be true that she didn't doubt it.

She requipped a sword into her hand, letting go of her skirt, her blush fading in favour of a stern countenance "I will tell you once more. Surrender."

Salamander ignored her "You should consider wearing red panties, they'd look so much better than whi…" his sentence was cut short by a sword very nearly cutting of his head. A line of blood formed on his neck where her sword had cut his skin, luckily he moved back fast enough to avoid decapitation.

Natsu rubbed at the cut and grinned. This was so much fun! "Scarlet" he drew out her name, teasing it over his lips "Catch me if you can!" forming a massive grasping hand out of flames he grabbed the rail bridge above them and dragged himself up, leaving Titania below in the ravine.

Erza glared as he disappeared up past the mist that consumed this valley. She requipped into her Black Wing Armour and flew the short burst out of the fog and up to the train line. But he wasn't there. Glancing from side to side Erza couldn't find Salamander up here, but she was certain he had been _'Did he overshoot?' _she wondered, it was possible, he wasn't the most accurate, she had learned that much from their battle.

She requipped back into her Heart Kreuz Armour, still not having the magic to maintain any of her more taxing armours right now, and continued her intense search for any sign of Salamander.

Scarlet didn't see Natsu hanging by one arm over the edge of the railway, nor the dark grin on his face.

He pulled himself up and only at the sound of his feet hitting the tracks did Titania hear him and turned… too late.

His fist ploughed right into her stomach, steel plate bending under the force of his punch. Erza bent double, saliva flying from her mouth he hit so hard. Even when he removed his fist she collapsed to her knees, requipping out of the breastplate in order to remove the bent piece of steel pushing into her bruised stomach. She coughed up blood and spit, holding her stomach tightly and glared up at him as he stood towering above her.

Natsu frowned, he was almost disappointed, but his right hand became engulfed in burning flames all the same "Well, it's been fun, Fairy Queen Titania" he told her raising his fist in the air "Shame, really" and she had shown so much promise, it was a very anticlimactic end. His fist descended.

And Erza roared, a sword appearing in hand which she thrust upwards. If she was going to go down she was sure as hell taking him with her. In the last moments Erza saw Natsu see the sword but not stop, if anything he grinned and continued his attack, he wouldn't be the one to withdraw, and Erza wouldn't either.

They were both going to die here.

But Erza's sword didn't cut flesh, blood didn't stream down her hands as her head was crushed, instead her sword sliced air and Natsu's fist swung wide past her face. This was all because of a body slamming into Natsu, which then carried both him and itself over the edge of the tracks and back into the ravine.

He and the unidentified person fell down into the abyss with a whistle and, moments later, a thump.

Erza watching the spectacle wide eyed and stupefied. What the serious fuck had just happened?

"ERZA!"

She turned to find Lucy and Gray running towards her "Lucy, Gray, then…" she glanced into the canyon, thinking of the body that had slammed into Salamander "…that was Erigor?"

They grinned at her "We won" Lucy and Gray told her, high fiving each other.

Her hand shook, but she clenched them shut, and gave them a proud smile "I knew you would" for a moment she glared into the canyon which Salamander had fell, half expecting him to emerge in a burst of fire, but no. Not even he could survive a fall from that height, and instead she followed after her friends, listening to them chat about their hard earned victory.

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Down at the bottom of the ravine two bodies lay broken and shattered from the fall.

One was, Shinigami Erigor Ace of the Dark Guild Eisenwald. Bruised and battered and broken from both his fall and his fight, even if he weren't dead both his legs and an arm were broken and it was very likely most of his ribs and quite possibly his spine were broken as well.

The other was Salamander, Natsu Dragneel. He had held up better than Erigor, though blood was pouring thick and fast from a deep wound in his head, the wound caused by a roughly pointed rock around the size of a fist which he had landed headfirst again. The rock was marked out amidst the other by the bloody smear on its point.

If anyone were to see them, they would assume both were dead.

Until onyx eyes snapped open and furious flames blazed into life around him.

* * *

Things have gotten interesting now haven't they... have they? Ah well, what does it matter.

by the way, if you can guy help me get up to at least over 62 reviews with this chapter, I'll love you. That'll bring me neatly to the bottom of the first page of most reviewed fics with Natsu and Erza as main characters. My goal, of course, is to knock NeoShadow's 'The Story of a Dragon, a Knight,and a Fairy Hunter' off of the top spot, ha... haha... hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHA...** MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, yes, your reviews will aid my evil plan, all this time and effort of writing will come fruition, and I will be the most revered NatsuXErza writer in the fanon, MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**blerghkuh...hork puh... argh, I hate it when that happens, you know when you swallow some spit down the wrong passage when your laughing maniacally about dastardly plans, its really annoying.

... *looks up* did I really just write that shit?! *shakes head* Sometimes my own mind scares me... but I quickly forget about it an-CHOCOLATE! Mmm, nummy chocolate...

Toodles.


	5. Aftermath

**Chapter 5: Aftermath.**

"So then Gray hit him with his, 'Iced Knuckle'" here Lucy did a very bad impression of Gray, vaguely copying his movements "and clobbered him and he went flying" Lucy was smiling all the while as she reiterated the story, proud of her own small part in the grand scheme of battle. Her arrows hadn't caused any damage but had distracted Erigor enough that Gray could get some blows in, including the 'Iced Knuckle' she had just mentioned that finished the fight.

"I noticed" Erza said amusedly, he had flown right past her after all… and taken her opponent out too, at the exact moment that they had been about to take each other down. She frowned as she thought that, a little annoyed at needing to be saved, and at being interrupted, and little relieved as well.

She hadn't wanted to die there.

Gray was smiling as well, beating Erigor was no small feat after all, in fact it was an accomplishment to be proud of, but he left telling the story to Lucy. Telling it himself would just look arrogant and he was far too cool to be arrogant.

"Ah, that's right, that flute, Lullaby, he dropped it right?" Lucy said to Gray. Remembering when the flute had been knocked out of Erigor's pocket during Gray's first clean hit on the wind mage.

"Yeah, he dropped it just over… there" Gray's pause was for a very good reason, because in the spot where he was certain Lullaby had been dropped when he had finished Erigor off with an icy fist to the general body area, his Iced Knuckle wasn't realistically sized, there was nothing. Well obviously there was track and wood and steel railings, but there was no Lullaby. It was gone.

"Kageyama?" Lucy shouted after peering into the carriage and not finding the shadow mage there.

"Oh… shit" Gray murmured, putting the pieces together.

"Gray, language!" Erza snapped.

"Erza, Lullaby's gone, and so is Kageyama" Gray told her simply.

Shock registered at first, then her face became hard and stern, with rage clear for all to see, burning ice cold. It was a face that could make Gray piss himself any day of the week, but not today, today he was just absolutely terrified "We're going" she said curtly, storming to the carriage and slamming the SE-plug down over her forearm.

Lucy, not too sure of what was going on, simply followed Gray into the magic four wheeler when he hurried to get inside, not least because he pulled her along with him. Gray would explain what had happened along the way, making Erza wait was not a good plan right now, neither was wasting any time at all.

Outside, sat at the front of the four wheeler, Erza immediately set off, bringing it right up to full speed. As the wind lashed at her she bit down hard on her own lip.

Gray's earlier summarisation had been correct.

"Shit."

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Natsu pulled himself up with a fiery clawed hand and landed on the tracks with a heavy thud, stumbling a little, then tripping and slamming his head into a steel rail, which really didn't help his possible concussion much.

He struggled to his feet, swaying back and forth, still rather woozy from blood loss which concussion wasn't helping with, but otherwise A-Okay.

His hand came away covered in blood as he rubbed the back of his head, but he had sealed the wound shut with fire prior to this and the blood was simply some excess that had congealed in his hair.

Breathing in deep through his nose Natsu's Dragon Slayer senses easily picked up Scarlet's scent, having memorized it the second they met. Facing in the direction the scent headed in Natsu's feet burst into flames and he was off like a rocket, blazing through the air, heading towards her like a dragon swooping down on its prey… until he momentarily lost control and smashed headfirst into the rails again, though with the explosive force of several tons worth of flame boost behind him this time.

"Okay, hold off on flying for now" he told himself after Natsu had removed his forehead from the bent rail, funny how more damage had been caused to the steel bar than Natsu's skull.

Trying to fly while suffering from possible concussion and blood loss was not a very good idea, especially when one considered that it required intense concentration at all times to not smash into every and anything in the way and the precise balancing of the amount of thrust generated from the flames in order to keep him in the right direction, along with careful management of magic so that he didn't explode in mid-air, and he struggled to do that with his full mental concentration never mind while faint and dizzy.

So instead Natsu continued ahead on foot, stumbling every few steps from head trauma. Even if he had to walk for years and years, barefoot through miles of broken glass, across icy tundra's and gigantic glaciers and miles of fetid marsh or swamp, he would.

"We're not finished, Erza Scarlet" he said, as if she could hear him, as if she was stood just ahead.

The look on his face, dark and angry, spoke of a man ready to burn this world to ashes. Right now, in this moment, he was the picture of darkness, or imposingness, of tortuous flames capable of burning even heaven itself.

Any man who were to gaze upon him in this instant would know the true meaning of fear, and would accept without question that he was Salamander of Torched Heaven, hell they'd accept he was the dark mage Zeref if they were told so.

He certainly was scary enough to be.

… then his tummy rumbled "Argh, dammit, I'm hungry!"

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"Ice Make Shield!"

A grand wall of ice appeared in front of them, protecting them from Lullaby's explosive attack.

The gathered guild masters were impressed by the speed at which Gray had created such a large wall of ice, to create such a large amount of ice in such a short space of time was incredible and even experienced ice mages would struggle to do the same, but Gray didn't care about that in the slightest.

"Erza!"

His red haired companion was coughing up blood, and clutching at her stomach, Lucy was knelt by her rubbing her back unsure of what else to do. She had drawn out a sword and switched armours, ready to take on the massive demonic form Lullaby had taken, and then collapsed to her knees.

Makarov watched his brats calmly, glancing briefly up at the demon. Those three were too injured and wounded from earlier fights, not to mention exhausted. They couldn't face this opponent and expect to win, not in their condition _'Looks like I'll need to step in' _he thought with a sigh, and it had been such a relaxing day too.

At that exact moment, just as the sigh left his lips, an explosion burst through Lullaby's stomach, roaring flames tore through its body, sending chunks of smoking demonic flesh splattering everywhere, one smacking Makarov right in the forehead as he stared wide eyed at the impressive display of fire magic.

The damage from that one attack was so immense that Lullaby was forced to revert back to its flute form and landed in the dirt twenty odd feet before them. But almost no one noticed that as, from amidst the blazing explosion, a figured emerged wreathed in flames.

"SCARLET!" his voice came more a dragons roar than human speech as he landed fifty feet away.

Erza forced herself to stand, she recognised that voice, she recognised those flames.

"Dragneel!" she responded in kind, requipping into her Flame Empress Armour. But before she could even take a step she was bent over clutching her stomach. He had done a number on her with that blow, never mind wrecking her Heart Kreuz Armour, he may have caused some serious internal damage.

Salamander grinned as he saw her, then frowned as he saw her coughing. He stormed forward regardless.

Erza forced herself upright, then clenched her fists. He was walking right towards where Lullaby rested in the dirt. She tried to walk forwards and meet him, but Master Makarov raised his arm and stopped her.

"Master, but he…" she collapsed to her knees again, hacking up blood.

Realising the futility of trying to fight him in her present state all she could do was stare as he came closer and closer to his goal… and he stepped on it, the flute cracked and shattered beneath his foot, his feet aflame as was the rest of him, the wooden remains burning up into ashes.

Salamander had eyes only for her, not even his original objective mattered anymore, in his eyes there was nothing but her.

Makarov Dreyar stepped forwards, drawing Dragneel's gaze, a burning furious gaze directly pure and utter hatred at anyone who would dare get in between him and his foe.

Makarov met his gaze fearlessly, bright yellow magic swirling around him much as flames swirled around Salamander. Their eyes met and watching it just then Lucy and Gray felt like they were watching a titanic god face down a rampaging dragon. They could almost see a giant Makarov standing opposite a crimson dragon in the swirling magic/flames that surrounded those two.

Salamander didn't stop, didn't slow, he kept storming forwards. He didn't care who was in his way, he'd burn them all to hell, he'd burn everything in his way, all that mattered was her, all that mattered was Erza Scarlet.

Makarov took another step forwards his face becoming stonier and harder. Anyone who dared to even try to harm his kids in front of him better be prepared for the consequences, and they would be painful rest assured. But before he could take another step or Salamander could get within twenty feet of them, a wall of startlingly red flames rose up between them.

Finally something made Salamander pause, and indeed stop dead in his tracks, but it made his rage all the worse. His face twisted into a monstrously angry visage, veins clearly visible, his eyes dark and furies "ALASTOR!" he roared, seemingly speaking to the red flames more than anything else.

From amidst the fire that blazed ten feet in front of the mages and ten feet before Salamander, stepped a man. Though she could only see his back she could see his long red hair, fading to orange and yellow at the tips, and glistening brightly with a golden light, though whether it was from the flames or something else entirely she wasn't sure. He was tall, quite muscular, and rather imposing wrapped in a long black cape, a katana held by its sheathe in his left hand.

"Natsu-sama" the man spoke respectfully, giving a small courteous bow to the raging man before him "A battle with Makarov Dreyar is outside the parameters of the mission" he spoke curtly, but courteously, he held great respect for Salamander just from his tone they could tell that "Charmain orders you to return to the keep."

"Fuck Charmain!" Salamander roared, his flames raging as he did, burning brighter around him, lighting up with his fury.

"Natsu-sama" Alastor said passively, seeming unaffected by Natsu's obvious anger "Please return to the keep, Charmain's orders" he had no desire to fight Salamander, and certainly not here. Alastor was one of the strongest members of Torched Heaven, but Natsu, Natsu was _the _strongest member of the guild. If it came down to it he would lose… that is if he even tried.

For a while they stared each other down, a drop of sweat slid down his neck as Alastor feared that Natsu would not turn away, then finally Natsu growled and, cursing obscenities under his breath, turned around, storming away.

He paused suddenly, making Alastor tense, but he just turned back and stared directly at Erza "We'll finish this later, Erza Scarlet" their eyes met, black and brown, fire and steel, dragon and knight, each of equal intensity and ferocity. But Salamander turned away and continued on, out of their sight, after just a moment.

The wall of red flames remained until he was no just gone but long gone, at least five minutes had passed since Salamander had faded from view, and immediately after he had Makarov turned to face the red haired man, Alastor, who remained. Alastor in turn, turned his gaze to Makarov, and for the entirety of the five minutes they both stood, neither speaking, neither moving, neither breaking the gaze. Then Alastor closed his eyes and the flames faded away, and so did he, his body burning up into brilliantly bright ashes until he was completely gone.

In the aftermath the guild masters and the team from Fairy Tail stood, most wondering what happened now, a few eyeing the destruction around them.

"Master" Erza tried to speak, blood dripping from her mouth from a prior hacked up glob of blood.

"Rest" Makarov said, not a request or even a gentle suggestion, it was an order. He knew Erza. She pushed herself too hard in general, due to this 'failure' she would push herself even harder.

Even though they had won, even though Lullaby lay in fragments in the dirt, even though they had protected the Guild Master League and stopped the plot to murder them, Erza still wouldn't be happy because she had not defeated Salamander. She had made it her goal to capture him and failed and so she would punish herself.

Makarov sighed before turning his gaze to the burning wasteland laid out before him.

'_So that was Salamander' _even Makarov had heard of him, he was infamous all over Fiore and considered one of the strongest mages in the criminal underworld. He then glanced at the burnt black footprints in the dirt where Alastor had stood _'and he was Alastor, King of the Red Haze, one third of the Blistering Trio' _Makarov frowned _'Torched Heaven, they are becoming more and more of a problem.'_

Erza too was staring into the wasteland that had once been lush forest and was now just the charcoaled remains of trees, but she was glaring at the spot where Salamander had finally disappeared from view in the trees far away enough to not be burnt _'Salamander… Natsu Dragneel. I won't forget you!'_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A burning table impacted against the wall, shattering into shards of burning wood.

Charmain watched impassively as his strongest member raged in Devilfire Keep's great hall, smashing and burning everything in sight and damn near killing any guild member who didn't get out of his way quickly enough. Most had fled the scene already, those who remained where either very stupid or very unconscious.

Natsu had been like this for over an hour and his rage showed no signs of dying anytime soon, though Charmain had only just arrived. He had known Natsu was throwing a tantrum ever since his strongest member entered the guild, he just hadn't cared enough to stop him.

Natsu was the type whose anger built up rather than died down, so the time it took to make the trip back to the guildhall would only make his anger worse, not better. And it had been nigh on three days.

Charmain stood halfway up the steps leading into the restricted areas, watching the spectacle with neither interest nor care.

Below him at the bottom of the stairs stood Alastor, who had come to fetch him in order to avoid the guildhall being destroyed in entirety, not that Charmain would've let that happen but… well most of it might've been destroyed before he cared enough to intervene, and with him were the other two thirds of the Blistering Trio, and not one of them looked interested in trying to stop Natsu.

Though one might compare it to a childish bout of anger, and Charmain did regularly, stopping it was like trying to calm a raging dragon, only a fool or a god would attempt it and Charmain claimed to be neither "Salamander, enough!" he spoke loudly.

Natsu's angry eyes were turned on him "Charmain!" he roared.

Charmain's glared at him sternly "You are like a spoilt child shouting at his parents because he did not get what he wanted" Charmain told him harshly "Now calm down."

"Do I give a fuck?!" Natsu roared, before roaring flames at his guild master.

With a wave of his hand Charmain met the flames with his own golden fire, letting his fire fade only as Natsu's petered out.

"Why did you stop me?!" Dragneel shouted, jumping and swinging a burning fist at Charmain.

Charmain hardened his flames, making them more consistent and physical, then whipped them in a wide arc that smacked Natsu in the stomach sending him flying backwards and breaking a table. The shattered remains quickly turned to embers as Natsu's flames started burning everything around him in his anger.

"Fighting against Makarov Dreyar is a sure-fire way to die, Natsu" Charmain informed him coolly, in contrast to the suffocating heat filling the hall from Natsu's immensely hot flames.

"Do I care?!" long tendrils of flame burnt up everything behind Natsu, even as he struggled to his feet, and he leapt forwards, his fellow guild mates either moving or being burnt and then shoved to one side by the 'Fire Dragon's Wing Attack'.

Charmain raised a wall of golden fire between him and Natsu which Natsu leapt cleanly over, his burning feet boosting him up over the rock hard wall of flames.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" with a burning right hand Natsu made to punch Charmain.

But Charmain simply raised his own right hand and blasted Natsu away with an explosion of glistening gold flames before he could get close enough to connect his blow.

This was how disputes between Natsu and Charmain were resolved, and though it seemed a rather one-sided battle in Charmain's favour, it was anything but. The sheer exertion of using such powerful flames would take its toll on Charmain in time while Natsu could keep blasting away for days, and Charmain also had to keep his flames away from Natsu's mouth as if the boy ate he would power up further still.

That was the reason Natsu hadn't tried to eat Charmain's fire yet, because it always pulled away when he tried.

Charmain had startling control and immense skill, Natsu had raw power and brute force, and up until today Charmain had not lost, not to say that he _won_, but he didn't intent to break his 'not losing' streak today.

If it came to a pure battle of attrition Charmain knew that Natsu would win, so he had to talk down Salamander's anger, appease him in some manner while at the same time reminding Natsu that he was the guild master and Natsu was a guild member, that was how Charmain 'never lost' their battles.

"Rampaging like this solves nothing" he told the Dragon Slayer sternly, who ignored him, struggled to his feet, and charged again. Charmain hit him with another burst of golden flames sending him crashing into a wall "You are an important member of this guild. I cannot and will not lose you to your own arrogance, Natsu."

"Shut up!" Natsu roared, breathing red hot flames towards Charmain.

A barrier of golden flames held them back until Natsu himself burst through his fist ablaze. Another tendril of golden fire slammed him into the dirt "Makarov Dreyar is beyond you, not even I could win against him one on one, and certainly not after the gruelling battle you had faced."

"RAAAAAHH!" Natsu charged with both fists still burning. Charmain raised a shield of golden flames before him which Natsu assaulted, uselessly punching it repeatedly.

"Some battle with some woman is not worth your life."

"I'll decide what's worth my life!" Natsu shouted back not stopping his attack on the shield.

Charmain frowned. If Natsu kept up his assault then his shield was going to break and Charmain would need to move and that would raise the battle onto a whole other level. Natsu would lose what little restraint he still had, yes he still had some restraint despite possibly killing a few members and seriously burning others _and_ assaulting his own guild master, and Charmain would have to up his game to keep up, that would be bad.

He raised up a clenched fist and opened it suddenly, his finger splaying wide. In response to his action the shield thrust forwards carrying Natsu all the way to the other side of the hall.

"Stop this foolishness Natsu and calm down."

"Shut the fuck up!" Natsu clambered to his feet.

Charmain smashed him down into the ground with an arc of golden flames, and walked calmly forwards, hitting Natsu two or three more times with bursts of his fire to keep him down "You cannot fight Erza Scarlet if you are dead."

That gave Natsu pause, and Charmain a glint of hope.

"Makarov Dreyar is one of the Ten Wizard Saints" he continued, starting a long walk forwards "He is not someone to be engaged with lightly, not by anyone's standards. If you had fought him you would be lucky if you escaped with your life, still lucky if you kept your life and ended up in jail, and still rather lucky if he just squashed you like a bug."

Natsu glared up at him but hadn't gotten up, and Charmain now stood right before where Salamander lay in the rubble, having walked the entire length of the hall during his speech. During all of that Natsu hadn't been hit again and nor had he moved, which meant Charmain was getting through to him.

"You will have every opportunity to fight Titania again to your heart's content" he told his strongest member calmly "I will even make plans for it to take place, should you so wish" it should be easy enough and while it would require calling in a few favours to ease Salamander's anger he was more than willing to threaten people into doing him favours.

Salamander growled, and struggled up, but rather than stand he remained on the ground, sitting with his legs crossed in the rubble "Fine" he grumbled, folding his arms and not looking at Charmain.

Charmain smiled in grim satisfaction and turned and walked away, leaving the mess the great hall had been made into to someone else and returning to his studies. The failure to retrieve Lullaby, and its destruction, was but a minor failure, and Charmain had long since given up hopes of attaining that magic, years ago in fact. Perhaps that was why he had sent Natsu in the first place, because Natsu was known for mindless destruction and maybe, just maybe, he wanted that accursed magic destroyed.

Besides which there was a far more important matter that had only recently come to his attention and now required his full attention _'But I'll tell _him_ about it tomorrow' _he decided. Trying to talk to Salamander right now about a serious matter would be like trying to tell off an angry child sat on the naught step, they'd just ignore you or spit at you.

He was halfway up the stairs leading to his quarters when he heard Natsu shout "Someone get me some food, I'm starving" anyone still conscious hurried to obey.

Charmain very nearly chuckled. A spoilt child indeed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hours later and with his stomach full Natsu wandered down into the deepest parts of the dungeons where his private quarters were housed.

He didn't really care where he slept and at first he slept so deep simply because there were less people this far down. That reason remained in place but he had come to genuinely like this place and view it as… somewhere he would like to be, if nothing else.

His room had once been little more than a stone cell with a blanket and Natsu had been perfectly content with that. Then one day he had returned from a mission to find it all changed.

Not all of it, obviously, the bare stone floor and walls and ceiling remained, but there was stuff in here instead of just a raggedy blanket.

Before a grand fireplace carved into the wall, that burned brightly in all weathers, was a deep crimson rug patterned around the edges with yellow and orange flames. At the four compass points hung four banners, one on each wall, featuring a beam of light being burnt away by scarlet flames. One hung above the fire place, one to the right of his door, now a heavy oak door that could be barred from the inside instead of the iron barred door that had been there before, another above his bed, opposite the fireplace, and the fourth on the far wall.

His bed was directly opposite the fireplace, a large redwood bed with the headrest shaped like a dragon and deep crimson sheets with orange flames burning around the bottom end of the quilt. A redwood wardrobe sat in a corner to the left of the bed, provided you were lying on your back in it, and along the wall from the Torched Heaven banner.

Natsu had made not one change to the room since finding it like this, besides sleeping in it, he didn't really care about such things. The redecoration had probably been done by Ayano, maybe Spitfire too, he seemed like the type. Returning home to find his room rather luxurious and distinctly fire themed had been a bit of a shock, but in all honest he rather liked his room the way it was now, not that he'd be telling either Ayano and or Spitfire that fact, in the winter the mountains got damn cold and though cold didn't really bother Natsu as much as it might other people he did prefer to be in a warm environment.

He kicked off his shoes and stripped down to just his trousers, laying his scarf carefully over the beds footrest while the rest was just tossed around carelessly, before collapsing onto the bed and staring up at the cold stone ceiling.

After a moment Natsu lifted up his arms, staring intently at the mostly healed wounds that covered the flesh of his forearms. They would be gone soon enough and flawless skin would remain. He was almost saddened by it. He rather wanted to keep them as an eternal memory of his battle with _that woman_.

But Natsu didn't scar easily, he only had one scar on his entire body and that was a cut on his neck that he received in the darkest moment of his life.

Sighing he let his arms fall down, landing with a muffled thump on the soft bedding. The heat of the fire burning bright in the fireplace warmed his already warm skin and the heat made his eyes grow woozy.

All that travelling, all that fighting, and that long trek back to Devilfire Keep, not to mention his tantrum and battle with Charmain, they were finally taking their heavy toll.

Natsu felt like he could sleep for a week.

One final thought echoed through his mind before he finally feel asleep.

'_Scarlet.'_

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Miles away in the distant town of Magnolia, in the Fairy Hill's dormitory for female guild members of Fairy Tail only, stood before a window that was in one of her five knocked through rooms, Erza Scarlet, who was almost recovered from her injuries by now, stared out of the prior mentioned window, staring up at the night sky.

She was wearing her light purple pyjamas, patterned with deeper purple crosses where the bottom spike of the cross was shaped like a heart, the Heart Kreuz symbol, and a few bandages could be seen on her arms and plasters on her face, more bandages covered her torso and some on her legs as well, but they weren't visible.

Her fingers touched cold glass, her face was calm yet sombre, and her deep brown eyes looked at everything yet took in nothing.

The moon was bright, the stars were all out, and the sky was not black but dark blue, and no clouds marred the spectacular view. It was truly beautiful, a sight to be marvelled at and savoured. A shooting star flickered through the sky.

But Erza wasn't appreciating the beauty of the sky, she was thinking, her thoughts focused solely on a single man, a man with pink hair surrounded by raging flames.

She bit her lip and left the window, walking over to her bed and sliding under the cover.

Lying on her back Erza stared up at the ceiling, her face steely _'Natsu Dragneel… Salamander…' _she bit her lip again, this time actually drawing blood, but she didn't notice so lost in the rage and hatred that he made burn within her _'I will defeat you.'_

* * *

What the hell have they done? What was wrong with the old layout, I liked the old way, I hate change, it confuses me and I get lost and I get annoyed and moody. Now I have to input Natsu and Erza as characters and then remove Gray and Jellal as characters so that I don't end up with all the JellalXErza and GrayXErza stuff, what was wrong with two f-ing characters, why do we need four, we don't need four, and if we do need four why can't we have two main and two minor rather than four character of equal value! Are they just trying to make it harder for us to find what we want to read, honestly, what the fuck?

Also do I need to be able to open a story by not clicking the link? NO I FUCKING DON'T, I CAN CLICK A FUCKING LINK, I DON'T NEED CLICKING THE FUCKING SUMMARY TO OPEN UP THE FUCKING STORY! FUUUUUUUUUCCCCKKK!

Urgh, its not fair anyway, I'm making good progress, but I need double and a half more reviews to stand a chance of defeating God-king NeoShadows, my rebellion will succeed and I will claim the crown... and stuff... sniff... I hate change.

You know I hate slicing, probably not as much as NeoShadows hate slicing (wounded you may be, but I will show no mercy), but I just sliced up a pizza and got really bored doing it... I'm not sure why I'm telling you this but whatever.

By the way, either make my job harder and bring A Story of a Dragon, a Knight, and a Fairy Hunter up to 300+(around twenty odd plus) reviews, or help me bring this fic up over the threshold, then a NatsuXErza fic will be the most reviewed in the Erza archive, thus knocking the bastard Jellal from his high horse (I quite like Jellal actually, but I rather wish he'd stayed a villain, he was cool as a villain, and am I the only one who was expecting more of a connection between him and Natsu than we got, given what he said when Natsu and Erza were in prison I thought there would be something, a backstory of some sort, but no, its just that Jellal found him an amusing piece in his game, sadly for him said piece was then smashed repeatedly over his head so... all's well than ends well I guess). Whatever, I'm going to do my bit, I'm gonna go review every chapter of NeoShadow's fic (those I haven't), he may be my enemy, but... my enemies enemy is my... ally, temporarily, and don't think I won't stab you in the back... how I don't know how since your army will have grown all the larger and this is internet, how do you stab people over the internet, but I will.

Anyway this authors note is getting close to dwarfing the damn story, so I'm off, review people, please, pretty please, pretty please with a cherry on top, two cans of premium larger and a chocolate fudge cake larger than your head... please?

Toodles.


	6. At the Heart of Matters

**Chapter 6: At the Heart of Matters.**

Natsu sat in a crenel on the walls of Devilfire Keep, staring out into the snowy mountains and deep rocky chasms which surrounded the fortress, deep in thought. Thinking, at all, was most unusual for the renowned Salamander, being deep in thought was almost unheard of, but he was, for some reason.

Said reason being a beautiful, armour wearing, weapon wielding, scarlet haired knight/mage, who belonged to the guild Fairy Tail, whom he had fought less than a week ago.

That battle still flashed across his eyes even now, and played out over and over again in his dreams.

He redid it with a thousand different strategies and plans, tricks and traps, brute force and cunning in equal measure… but not once did his plans ever result in a clear victory, nor did they end in defeat.

It had truly been up in the air, even when he assumed it was over, she still had a trick, or a sword rather, up her sleeve. If it hadn't been for Erigor's body slamming into him, unconscious at that point in time dead later, they both would've died then and there.

That was how all his replays ended as well, with the both of them dying.

Letting out a long breath, which steamed in the cool mountain air, Natsu decided he had thought long enough on the matter, besides thinking made his head hurt, and also decided to head inside and find breakfast.

Inside the hall was now fully repaired, though the broken great tables that ran the length of the hall were now replaced with a number of smaller ones that had probably been stored somewhere before now, the guild members crowded around the tables, anywhere from three to eight to a single table, though many more were left empty.

Natsu personally thought this setup was far nicer than those stupid overly long tables that you had to walk miles to get around, or alternately just climb over the tables, and any members at the same time, which was his preferred and most common method.

"Natsu" someone called his name seconds after he was inside.

Natsu glanced at the man "Spitfire" he greeted the older man casually with an upwards nod as he approached "Want something?"

Spitfire was a twenty something year old man, a couple of inches taller than Natsu, with spiky orange-red hair, that was parted over his forehead, and orange eyes. He wore a dark grey jacket, several times larger than his actual size, with a lighter grey fur lined collar, black trousers and an orange t-shirt with a tribal style nine tailed fox emblazoned on the front. He was a member of the Blistering Trio, like Alastor, the strongest team in Torched Heaven formed of the all but strongest members.

Spitfire grinned at him brightly "Just wondering how you are?" he asked cheerfully.

Natsu sent him a bored glare "Fine" he responded flatly before moving to find a table.

Spitfire sat himself down uninvited at Natsu's table, and watched him intently as Natsu made his way through what most people would call breakfast, lunch and dinner, though Natsu called it quite simply 'breakfast'.

Only once he was all done and patting his full belly did Spitfire speak again "Hey, Natsu, I learned a new spell out on my latest job, and I wanna try it out. So… fancy a battle?" he asked with a broad smile.

Rolling his shoulders Natsu nodded vaguely "Sure, I could use a warm up."

With a grin Spitfire raced from the Keep, tapping his feet impatiently as the main gates slowly swung open, despite the fact that Natsu was several feet behind and moving none too quickly. On the mountain road leading down from Devilfire Keep Spitfire took a sharp left, straight into the open abyss of a gorge.

Natsu followed him down, landing with a burst of fire to cushion his fall. He'd had enough of breaking open his skull thank you very much, even though he'd only done it the once.

They stood at the bottom of the rocky ravine, a fairly wide open chasm with a flat bottom, in a vaguely marked out circle, vaguely as in marked out in burnt black rock that was patchy in places, that was about fifty feet from one side to the other. This was Torched Heaven's, unofficial, 'sparring' ring or, as it was better known, the 'Get-Beaten-Half-to-Death-by-Salamander' ring.

"Ready?" Spitfire, the most common 'Get-Beaten-Half-to-Death-by-Salamander' combatant, asked, stretching out his left arm by pulling it above the elbow with his right hand then doing the same for his right arm.

Natsu shrugged.

Flames leaked out of Spitfire's open mouth. He shot off two flaming bullets at Natsu.

He didn't dodge or move or even react really, just let them impact uselessly, save burning his clothes, against him.

The flame clung to his clothing and when they burnt away it clung to his skin, Natsu noticed "Sticky flames, is that what you wanted to show me?" Spitfire grinned back a 'Yes' "Interesting, but…" he scooped them up in his hands and swallowed them whole "That won't work on me."

Spitfire only grinned before spitting a large gout of flame, enough to coat the entire unofficial arena in fire.

This was Spitfire's typical starting move, coat the area in fire then use the magic for which he was best known 'Flash Flare' to move near instantaneously through the flames. But it wasn't good enough to beat Natsu. All he did was raise his right arm up and scratch his head, in such a way that his upper arm was nearly parallel with the ground, then shifted quickly to the right as the flames flickered.

Instantaneous speed plus an upper arm to head resulted in a very dazed Spitfire, who could barely think enough, his head was hurting so bad, to move through the flames away from Natsu.

But not for long. Breathing in deeply Natsu drew all the flames in the area towards him, and chomped them all down till not a scrap of fire remained. Chewing Natsu stared at Spitfire, who in turn stared at him rubbing at his red forehead, waiting for the older man's next move, Spitfire too waited for the inevitable assault. But it didn't come.

"Are you okay?" Spitfire inquired.

"Hmm?"

"Well, normally you'd be pummelling my face into that rock face by now" he commented, gesturing to the canyon wall behind him. That was what usually happened. Natsu would let him make the first couple of moves, test out his new found skill and magic's then beat him until he couldn't walk for a week "Eh, not that I mind not being, it just… seriously are you alright?"

Natsu shrugged, he just didn't feel like it today, and stuffed his hands in his pocket, well one of his hands as his other pocket was burnt away during the 'sticky fire' demonstration "So was that sticky fire all you wanted to show me?"

Pouting childishly Spitfire nodded.

Natsu also nodded "It's interesting" he agreed, he could certainly see its uses "buts it's no good versus me" he told Spitfire, yawning.

Spitfire sighed "I thought they wouldn't be. Guess I'll ask Alastor, see if he can help me out with them" Alastor knew a lot about fire magic, nearly as much as Charmain, and he was far more approachable than the guild master as they were sort of on the same team, even if they didn't always do jobs together.

"NATSU!" before either of them could say anything more a voice called down into the canyon.

Natsu glanced up, spotting a patch of pink up at the ravines ridge "AYANO?" he shouted back recognising the pink haired girl even at this distance "DID YOU NEED SOMETHING?" he really hoped she didn't say…

"CHARMAIN WANTED TO SEE YOU!" the girl stood on the edge of the path shouted down to him.

Natsu sighed "Urgh, gotta go see what the old man wants. Keep it up" he told Spitfire sounding for all the world like he couldn't care less about Spitfire's progress. And in truth he didn't really.

So long as Spitfire remained focused on Fire Magic's then he stood no chance against Natsu. There were only two people in his guild who could harm him with fire, and Torched Heaven was noted for its multitude of Fire Mages, in fact there was barely anything but, one was Charmain and the other was Alastor.

Natsu and Alastor had never faced each other in battle, and though Alastor could harden his flames and hit Natsu with blunt force flames rather than burning flames, he didn't have Charmain's skill at keeping them from Natsu's greedy tummy, so the battle between them would, Natsu knew, be his. As for if it came down to a full-fledged fight to the death between him and Charmain, no holds barred, no talking, no restraints… Well, who knows how that would play out, Natsu sure didn't.

He jetted himself up to the canyon edge, a line of fire leading up to the canyon wall was flashed along by Spitfire, who had also created the flames, and he appeared from the fire next to Ayano seconds after Natsu landed.

Ayano was a pink haired, brown eyed girl of just fifteen years of age. Despite her youth she was a very powerful mage, strong enough to stand just below Spitfire in terms of strength, who stood below Alastor who stood below Natsu and Charmain, which made her fifth strongest in the entire guild, and she was the final member of the Blistering Trio.

She wore an outfit akin to that of a schoolgirl, consisting of a red jacket and skirt, and a red ribbon tied around her collar, a white dress shirt, black stockings up to mid-thigh, along with simple black shoes.

Ayano was nicknamed 'The Blazing Supremacy' and, along with 'Fire Fox', Spitfire, and Alastor, 'King of the Red Haze', made up the Blistering Trio, Torched Heaven's strongest team.

"Hey Natsu" she asked, smiling with a blush, as she toyed with a strand of her hair, looking anywhere but at the rosy haired man "How about fighting me sometime? I mean, I don't mean to brag but I'm pretty strong and…"

"He's already gone" Spitfire told her deadpan, watching Natsu walk up the mountain path away from them.

"Hey, Natsu!" Ayano followed after him swiftly, Spitfire following along behind her.

"So how did your last mission go?" she inquired as they walked "I heard you encountered some idiots from a legal guild, you beat them up right?"

"Ayano" Spitfire mumbled warningly. Did she realise she was stepping on a landmine here? Probably not.

"Huh, what?" Ayano wondered, not sure what Spitfire was trying to say "Oh? Right" then she remembered "You encountered that girl, Titania right" Natsu twitched "She's pretty famous, even amongst the Dark Guilds, what an overrated bitch. If I ever see her I'll beat her up for yo…" Ayano was forced to stop her sentence short, as Natsu's fingers dug deeper into her chin and cheek, squeezing her mouth shut.

His face was so close to hers that, in any other situation, she'd be blushing like crazy. But Natsu's eyes were so dark, so angry, just then, that she couldn't feel anything but fear, an overwhelming, overpowering, crushing, suffocating fear.

"No one touches Titania except me" Natsu whispered to her, his voice quiet but so much more dangerous for it.

Watching it play out, Spitfire's hand twitched. He wanted to get involved, to try help his teammate, but he valued his own life too much to throw it away for a worthless cause. If he got involved and Natsu was intent on killing Ayano then it would only raise the body count to two, they would both die, there was no hope or chance of escape or rescue or even survival, he would kill them both, if that's what he wanted to do.

And Spitfire wasn't certain that Natsu wasn't contemplating just such a thing.

But he didn't, Natsu instead let go of Ayano, leaving her cheeks with dark red marks where his fingers had dug deep into her flesh, then left the both of them alone, storming up the path towards the keep.

Ayano fell to her knees, the strain of staying standing while facing a glare of such raging intensity wearing away all her energy, but as it occurred she hadn't even had the energy or will to fall to her knees.

Spitfire place his hands gently on her shoulder, it was all the comfort he felt comfortable offering.

Soon Natsu faded from sight, inside Devilfire Keep.

"We better get back" Spitfire urged the girl still sat shell shocked in the dirt, offering her his hand up.

"Y-yeah" she agreed, her voice faint and dazed, taking the hand and standing, though a bit wobbly as they walked back to the Keep.

'_I hope you realise just how fucking terrifying you are Natsu' _Spitfire thought running a hand through his hair _'Cause if you don't then it's even more fucking terrifying.'_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You wanted to see me?" Natsu said as he entered Charmain's office without knocking. Charmain was not doing what he usually did, reading a book or scroll, instead he was waiting, hand folding before his face, a look of deep thought, and perhaps even worry, on his face.

"Yes" Charmain sat up a little, there was no sign of any ill will regarding their little... 'spat'. The reason why there was no sign of it was because there wasn't any. They had fought a hundred or more times and most of them had been more violent, harsher, crueller and far more damaging than their most recent altercation.

"So?" Natsu prompted of a moment silence. Charmain not immediately getting to the heart of the matter was unusual, he wasn't the type to leave someone hanging, he'd either save them if it served his purposes or he'd make them fall, that was the type of person Charmain was.

"We received a job, not long before you left to deal with Lullaby" Charmain stopped speaking again, looking unsure.

"And?" Natsu urged again. They got loads of job requests, nothing legal but lots of them, so what was it about this one that made even Charmain sound uncertain?

"The job requested you specifically" Charmain explained, tapping his fingers together, first his index, then his middle, then his ring, then his pinkie before starting again on the index and following that in a slow and steady pattern.

Natsu rolled his eyes, mentally crying for Charmain to 'Hurry up!'

"None of those issues concern me" he confessed "What concerns me is the employer, they…" he paused again, and instead offered Natsu the scroll that sat in front of him.

Opening it up Natsu's eyes went wide… then he grinned.

"They are offering a considerable sum for what they say is a relatively simple task" Charmain continued, seeing Natsu's both reassuring and worrying grin "but there are no further details regarding it. The sum, however, is worth several complicated, nay very complicated, tasks. A large amount, even to us."

"Sounds fun" Natsu was still grinning as he stared down at the scroll unfurled in front of his eyes.

"I'm sure" Charmain's tone suggested he didn't agree though "I want you to accept… but I want you to be careful."

"Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself."

"Natsu!" Charmain's voice turned stern, sterner than it usually was "You are strong, and I'm sure you could fight of any number of them and even win against most, but not all. Do the job, get paid, make no unnecessary moves, and do not needlessly aggravate anyone. And that is not a request, do you understand?" there was no question in Charmain's voice what the only answer he would accept would be.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it" Natsu said waving a hand dismissively "I'll be good. So these are the details, right?"

"Yes, keep them" Charmain flicked his hand in dismissal, watching Natsu leave for once rather than immediately turning to a book.

"Natsu" he called sharply, getting the boy to stop "We are Torched Heaven, we bow to no one… remember that."

"I will" Natsu told him cheerily.

"But… don't die."

Natsu laughed "Charmain, Charmain, I have far too many things to _burn _before I die to die now" he shot the Torched Heaven's Master a grin.

Charmain nodded, at last reassured, and turned down to his latest scroll on another type of rare and possibly lost Fire Magic, while Natsu kept his grin as he left Charmain's quarters. The symbol painted on the scroll, of a stylized heart overlapping with another heart like object, burned clear before his eyes long after he had looked away.

The mark of _that guild_, one of the darkest even in the criminal underworld, of one of the three that made up the Balam Alliance.

Grimoire Heart.

"After all" Natsu mumbled, losing his grin for a second "I have to _burn everything_" he shook his head and grinned again "Better get started then."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Era the large town that served host to the headquarters of the Magic Council in Fiore, not the safest place to be for a wanted criminal, especially one as renowned as Torched Heaven's Salamander, but that was where Natsu was, where his job demanded he be, so he didn't have much of a choice.

Natsu, who today wore a pair of black trousers and a red short sleeved dress shirt, his scarf as ever round his neck, paused briefly to gawk at one of the six obelisks that littered the town, laid in a hexagon around the Magic Council building, which was in the centre of the town, atop a large rocky hill or a small mountain.

Luckily the Magic Council weren't the target, though personally Natsu rather wanted to go up and see what all the fuss was about Alastor had talked him out of it, mainly by speaking at length of the administrative affairs the council most often dealt with and the procedures and system of governing the council operated under and a large variety of other topics that made Natsu which he had never asked.

Natsu had never done paperwork before, he had no idea what it was like or even what it was, but he knew it involved writing and Natsu didn't like writing, it made his hand ache, plus it sounded duller than one of Charmain's book and while Charmain's book were full of secret knowledge and hidden magic's they weren't exactly gripping.

The town of Era had sprung up after the Magic Council building was built, first people who worked for the council would move into provided accommodation for an easier commute, then businesses moved in to fill the niche market that was living there and soon it was a thriving community, not that Natsu knew, or cared, about the interesting history of the town of Era.

Natsu glanced down at his instructions/map that had been in the scroll Charmain left him with, aside from the Grimoire Heart symbol there was also a full set of instructions and after following them and reaching the destination he would be given the job… or so he gathered, he wasn't entirely certain but he thought that was what was going on.

"Go to inn" he read off, briefly glancing at the directions written before heading off, musing along the way "Why did they spell in with two n's?" Natsu shook his head "And people tell me off for my bad spelling" he scowled at the injustice of it, all the way to the 'in', and, staring at the sign, Natsu wondered "Does everyone one misspell in?" he shook his head and entered.

He was greeted with a dingy, dank bar, filled with low lightning, no windows, and smoke. Breathing deeply the pleasant, to Natsu, scent, he approached the barman "Hell hath no fury" he said simply.

The barman, a brown haired moustached man wearing a white shirt and black waistcoat, smiled grimly "I'll drink to that" he said, briefly stopping his drying of a glass to grab something from below the counter. He threw Natsu a key "Room 6, stairs are through there."

Natsu nodded his thanks and dropped a few Jewels on the counter as recompense, before heading through the door the barman gestured to and up the stairs.

The room were all clearly labelled, the one opposite him as he left the stairway was marked with a block white '1', and the next one along, though on the opposite side, from that was marked '2' and so on.

The floor was wood and creaked as he walked. No amount of stealthiness would help him here, not that Natsu was ever very stealthy. Number six was halfway down the corridor and Natsu fumbled with the key a moment before fitting it into the lock. The door swung open before he could turn the key.

There was no one opening it, it was simply left unlocked, unlatched, not even shut properly, free for anyone to enter.

Three cloaked and hooded figures were inside the room, two of them stood on either side of the leather couch in which in the third sat. After an initial scan of them Natsu quickly moved on and continued his survey of the area. His nose informed him that there was no one else in the room, his eyes registered and added to his mental map the couch, the coffee table in front of it, the leather armchair sat in front of that, the portrait of the fruit bowl on the wall and the window that was behind the leather couch.

With his survey complete Natsu shut the door behind him and entered the room properly.

"So, you are…" he never got to finish his statement as one of the hooded figures sprang suddenly into action, shooting towards him. Without even thinking Natsu clobbered him in the face with a 'Fire Dragon's Iron Fist' and he was out like a light.

The other wasn't far behind, but had time to draw a magic sword.

Natsu promptly shattered it with his flaming fist, his punch travelling thought the steel blade and into the chest of the man, who had tried to block his fist with the sword. He crashed into a wall, leaving a human shaped imprint in the plaster, and slid down it with a groan.

Natsu's foot catching the upside of his chin with a kick put him out of commission as well, and Natsu himself turned to the final figure, who remained seated on the couch, utterly unaffected by the minor brawl, though it was more of a beat down than a battle, that had taken place in front of them.

Natsu glared at them darkly "That wasn't a very nice greeting" he told the figure testily.

"Apologies" came the distinctly feminine voice, as the owner of said voice stood "I had to make sure you truly were Salamander" she shrugged of her cloak, smiling at Natsu with her cherry red lips.

Revealed from beneath the cloak was a rather voluptuously bodied young woman with long purple hair, that rested over her forehead in clean cut bangs splitting over the left side of her forehead. She wore a very short white kimono, leaving most of her thighs bare, and bound round the waist by a dark yellow obi. Around her neck was a dark red collar.

"I am Ultear Milkovich, a representative of Grimoire Heart" she told him, never losing her smile "I am your… go-between, so to speak, for this mission."

"So you have a mission for us?"

"No. We have a mission for _you_."

Natsu scowled, same difference "I'll listen, tell me what it is."

Ultear smiled and gestured for him to sit, which he did grateful to take the weight off his feet, but leant forwards in the chair ready to move swiftly in case of an attack, and also so that he listened a little more intently "The job is fairly simple" she told him, sitting herself and crossing her long legs "A small… project you could say, is being carried out on a certain island. Tell me, have you ever heard of Galuna Island?"

Natsu shook his head. That was no place he had ever heard of.

"It is a small island, as you may have guessed, located in the sea to the south of Fiore. Once it was known as Moon Island, now it's more commonly reputed as being The Demon Isle. Rumours of curses, of monsters, of demons are abound in every port city and fishing town in Fiore. Sailors fear that island, even coming into sight of it is considered an ill omen and many a ship has been lost in its volatile waters."

"And you want me to what?" he asked.

"I want you to oversee this project of ours, ensure that everything runs smoothly, deal with any issues that come up, and handle any problems. That is all."

"Why not send one of your own?"

Ultear smirked "Grimoire Heart is rather fond of Torched Heaven, you know" Natsu frowned, how did this relate? "The reason for that is simple, while you stand in the spotlight, the attention paid to us becomes smaller and smaller. So while you shine bright, we operate in your shadow" Ultear smiled again as realisation dawned in his eyes "That is why we don't send one of our own, that is why we offer you this job, that is why we make every attempt to facilitate Torched Heaven's continued infamy. We have handled threats to your guild, that you have never even heard whisper of. We help you… in order to help ourselves."

Natsu nodded, that made sense, it was symbiotic relationship of sorts, but not one Torched Heaven could count on. While Grimoire Heart aided them now, in order to keep themselves out of the spotlight, they couldn't be trusted to always be of that opinion. One day they might decide that they don't need Torched Heaven, or find another Dark Guild for the same purpose, or want the fame for themselves "So, what's the project?"

A slight twitch, almost unnoticeable, indicated… something. Hesitation, worry, fear, distaste, it indicated something that was for certain "The demon Deliora, you know of it?"

Natsu shook his head.

"Well, there isn't much to hear in truth. It is very powerful, stronger than an entire Dark Guild by itself. Created by the Dark Mage Zeref centuries ago, it once wreaked havoc in the Northern Continent before being sealed."

"Who's that?"

Ultear blinked "Huh?"

"That Zeffy bloke you mentioned, who's he?" Natsu thought he might've heard the name before… but he couldn't be certain.

Ultear could only gape "The Dark Mage, Zeref… widely considered the strongest, evilest mage in all of history, created demons that, to this day, destroy and cause havoc, mentioned in just about every history book in the world, you… you don't know who he is?" was this guy really a mage, never mind a dark mage, never mind an insanely powerful dark mage.

"No… well, I didn't. I do now, you just told me" Ultear could still only gape "So Zeffy created this chicken deli guy."

"Deliora" she corrected unconsciously, still shocked over his stupidity.

"Right, him."

Ultear shook her head to clear away the last vestments of her stupor, him being an imbecile could only work in her favour, and it's not like knowledge of Zeref was important for any mage, it's just that most did know, and fear, his name "Yes, Zeref created Deliora."

"And Del-boy was sealed?"

Another twitched caught Natsu's eyes "Yes" she answered after an almost unnoticeable second of hesitation, unless you were Natsu "it was sealed through a very special ice magic. I doubt even your flames could melted _that _ice."

"Wanna bet?" Natsu challenged. Him not being able to melt ice, ludicrous.

Ultear smirked at him again, now recovered and intent on remaining in complete control of the conversation. She kept them to the subject at hand "A spell, called Moon Drip, is being used to melt the ice. The spell works by gathering up moon light and focusing it, the moons natural magic dispelling properties are increased massively, enough to even melt _that _ice."

"_That _ice? What's so special about it?" Natsu inquired, her emphasis having caught his attention before and now.

"The spell used to create the ice… it cost the user her life. Such a magic is not easy to reverse, though entirely possible to of course."

"And you want me to oversee the use of this Moon Drip?"

"Yes. We aren't expecting any problems, but… better safe than sorry."

"And when Deliora is free, what then?"

"The Moon Drip is being used by a mage named Reitei" she explained "he was a student of _that _woman, the one who sealed Deliora away. Once Deliora is freed I want you to watch over his battle with the demon, he will not win, of course. It would take a far stronger mage than him to defeat a demon of Zeref. But I don't want you to interfere at that time."

"When should I interfere?"

"When Reitei is dead" she said simply "Until such a time there is no reason to become involved, after that subdue Deliora if you can, if not then I will be on hand to assist and cage the demon."

"And if I kill it?"

Another smile "Then you are far stronger than I anticipated, and we need to keep a far closer eye on you. We merely want the demon for conveniences sake, nothing more, never know when you might need a demon handy, but it is not vital to our plans."

"Alright" he nodded "how do I get this island?"

"I've already prepared your transportation, in the port city Hargeon a man named Zalty will find you, he will ferry you to Galuna Island."

"…" Natsu's stared at her green faced "F-ferry?"

Ultear smirked amusedly "Yes, ferry" she confirmed "That is the only way to Galuna Island" she knew all about his transportation issues, almost all of Torched Heaven knew and they would speak of it if one were to inquire. If said 'inquiry' happened to involved rope, whips, and threats of forced emasculation, then so be it.

"There is one other thing" Natsu glanced up at her "During this job you are under the employ of Zalty, for the sake of the mission. Grimoire Heart is not to be mentioned during the mission. This is of the utmost importance, do you understand?"

"So that you can remain in the shadows?" she nodded "Fine, I'm under the employ of this Zack guy then."

"Zalty" she corrected effortlessly.

"Yeah, him."

"Then make you way to Hargeon, the job commences in two days, if you are not there on time then we will consider the job failed."

Natsu rolled his eyes "I'll be there" he paused a moment as he was stood "One last thing" he said calmly. Ultear nodded, waiting "You're a member of Grimoire Heart, are you not?"

"I am."

"Then I want to see your guild mark" it wasn't a request, it was a demand. Until he saw the proof that it truly was _them _he wasn't leaving this room, and if she had no proof… well, then he'd burn her pretty face off of her skull.

She pouted cutely, pursing her red lips "Show me yours" Ultear shot back.

Natsu rolled his eyes again, mentally bemoaning women, and men for that matter, and mammals, and birds, and fish, and single celled organisms, but not reptiles, he liked reptiles, they were similar to dragons and Natsu liked dragons. He unbuttoned his shirt, unknowingly giving Ultear a good long look at his hardened muscles, which she took gratefully, as he undid the buttons, then stripped it off and turned around, showing the black mark in-between his shoulder blades.

Ultear spent a few moments examining it with her eyes, but she was more than certain it was Salamander by now so didn't check too thoroughly, in fact she was certain long before he walked in through the door, before he even entered the city, heck before he even took the job she was sure he was him.

Natsu turned and pulled his shirt back on, but didn't bother buttoning it up, as he stared intently at Ultear who was facing away from him as she unwrapped the yellow obi from round her waist. She slowly, teasingly, slid the kimono down her back, stopping well after the symbol was revealed, and giving him a smidgen of a peek at the cleft of her bum. Natsu, however, didn't notice that more focused on the black mark in the centre of her back.

Ultear faced the window unashamedly, no one was looking, or could look, in after all so baring her breasts was nothing for her to be embarrassed over. But she flinched when his hot fingers touched the mark on her cool skin "I didn't say you could touch" she remarked teasingly, smirking at him over her shoulder.

Natsu met her gaze flatly.

Ultear felt a blush burn over her face as he, without any pause or hesitation, grabbed her exposed breast. For a moment they stood like that, Ultear is such shock that she couldn't even A) make a teasing remark or B) assault him bodily.

Then he squeezed. He squeezed so hard it hurt, so hard it felt like her breast would burst in his hands, his nails bit as her skin, his fingers dug so deep they bruised the soft flesh.

Ultear bit back a hiss.

"Listen well, Grimoire Heart" Natsu whispered into her ear "Torched Heaven is not subservient to you, and has no intention of becoming so. We'll do the job, for the money and nothing else…" he let go at last and stepped back "Remember that. We bow to no one."

Ultear heard him leave, the door swinging open and being left so, as she pulled her kimono back up, she didn't bother tying her obi right now, instead leaving all of her considerable cleavage on show, though everything important was covered, just.

She stared at the door through which he had left, a shiver ran down her spine, it was cold in here, at least she noticed now how cold it was without him in the room, or rather how hot he had made the room _'Salamander, he's a wild card in all of this, he will either screw up our plans, or, inadvertently, make them run all the smoother.'_

Ultear giggled, shifting her loose kimono to glance at the red marks on her breast "Nastu Dragneel, I get the feeling you are going to be so much fun."

* * *

Alright, a sitrep, my usb stick, which contained the completed chapters 7, 8, 9 and six thousand words which would be rewritten added to and refined into chapter 10, has broken, I tried taking it to a computer shop to retrieve the data but they couldn't do it, I could've sent it off to try but I'm not paying eighty quid for something that is essentially worthless (I'm not doing this for money, this is a hobby and therefore makes me no money therefore no reason I can see to waste money on it, heartless but true) and they may not have been able to retrieve it anyway.

Basically you may have to wait for the next chapter.

Luckily chapter 6 had been uploaded into 's doc manager and so wasn't lost which is why you're getting a chapter this week, but there may not be one next week its depends on how quick I get the stuff written. Its not going to be fun for me, you know how it is when you die in a video game and have to restart again from a checkpoint redoing some bits you've already done, its kinda like that, only with 20,000+ words. Yeah... well I best get to it.

Kindly review and offer me your condolences and continued support, seriously I need some fucking comfort right now.

By the way, 'Zeffy' is a reference to the disclaimer in Dattebayo Devon's epic fic 'Under the Flames' if you haven't read it yet give it a whirl, trust me you won't regret it... well, you might but... what else have you got to do?

Toodles.


	7. The Tear and the Moon

**Chapter 7: The Tear and the Moon.**

Early one morning just as the sun was rising, a certain Dragon Slayer entered the port town of Hargeon. Natsu got the strange feeling that he had been here before, he had been but he'd forgotten about it but still had some residual memories of those events and therefore got the feeling of deja vu walking its streets. Not that he knew what residual meant, hell he didn't even known what this 'dave ja vu' thing was, but could he eat it?

There were few people on the streets at this time of day, a little past five in the morning, and the vast majority of them were 'folk of a less than savoury nature' otherwise known as criminal scum, smugglers and black market dealers those sorts, most closing up for the night as suns first light beamed down lighting up their shadowy work. For a moment Natsu wondered if criminals were allergic to sunlight, but that couldn't be it, he'd committed more crimes than most people could count and he quite liked the sun. Frowning he pursued that line of thought further until…

"Hang on a minute" he stopped suddenly "How am I supposed to get to this Island again?" had Ultear mentioned anything about that? He wasn't certain, it had been a long time ago, two days in fact… Okay, so it wasn't that long ago, but he'd still forgotten. Scowling Natsu scratched his chin, thinking trying to recall the details of his conversation "Hmm…" he leant his head back "err…" he scratched his head "ano…" he stood on one leg "umm… AHAH!" clicking in fingers in celebration for his success, Natsu grinned "Malty, I'm supposed to look for a guy named Malty… no wait" he recalled further details of the conversation "Was it that this Cobalt guy would find me? Or is it that I have to find Dolt? Hmm…" he leant his head back again, trying to remember. Natsu blinked "You know standing up there is dangerous."

A grinning figure looked down at him from the rooftop, wearing a green cape, maroon undershirt, and blue pants. The man's face was hidden by the strange tribal style mask he wore. Most of the mask was a dark maroon colour, with four white horns emerging from the sides, two from the top one on either side around the ear, the eyes holes and three whisker-like marks on either side of the nose were yellow and in the centre of the forehead a symbol in the same pale blue as the lines marking out the nose and eyebrow, but it wasn't a symbol Natsu recognised.

"I suppose it is" the man told him landing nimbly in front of him having leapt from the roof, his tooth flashing grin remained on his face "I am Zalty, I believe we have a common associate."

Natsu stared him down expressionlessly before anger flashed in his eyes. In the space of a second he was in front of 'Zalty', his hand wrapped around the other man's throat and slammed him against a nearby wall, hard enough to shake dust from the bricks. Moving in till he was close to the others man face, close enough to stare through the eyes holes into the eyes beyond them "What are you doing here… Ulfear."

The man's eyes widened, then his grin returned "You noticed?" slowly the illusion faded, leaving in its place the voluptuous body of Ultear Milkovich. She reached up and removed the mask from her face, the one piece that hadn't disappeared with the illusion.

"I have a nose" he stated simply, not loosening his grip, nor moving back.

Ultear's eyes widened a fraction, before she smirked again "Enhanced senses, wields fire, is incredibly forgetful. Tell me Salamander, are all the rumours about you true?"

"I wouldn't know" Natsu told her darkly "But those ones are…" he blinked "Wait, what was that last one again?"

She giggled. That confirmed that then.

His grip tightened suddenly, choking off her airway, Ultear's eyes widened and she met the downright murderous eyes of Salamander, before his gripe relaxed just as suddenly, letting her breath again "You still haven't told me why you're here" Natsu said, his impatience as obvious as the hand around Ultear's throat.

She smiled, now weary of his hand, having been painfully reminded of its presence "Is that not obvious? I am Zalty."

Natsu sighed "I see" a flaming fist smashed through the walls inches from Ultear's face, close enough for the flames to just lick her pale skin, his eyes bored into hers, pinning her in place "Lie to me again, and I kill you" he released her neck, pulled his fist from the wall, and took a full two steps back.

She giggled, rubbing at her throat "Do I annoy you that much? If so, my apologies."

"You don't bother me in the slightest" Natsu told her his tone rife with boredom "I just don't like being lied to. Don't do it again" he made to walk away, then stopped "That's not entirely true actually, I don't mind being lied to. But I don't like being lied to by someone who claims to be an ally, or an employer. Become my enemy more officially and you can lie to me all you want."

"And if I do become your enemy, will put your fist through my skull?"

"No" Natsu turned to her, his face blank of expression "It'll be much worse" he stared at her and only at her, his eyes more threatening than a gun to the head or a sword to the throat, Ultear shivered in genuine fear, before smirking and in the same moment Natsu grinned.

"I think we are going to get along very well Salamander" Ultear told him.

"You know, I was thinking exactly the same thing" they spent a moment just grinning at each other, until Natsu finally turned away "Now, where's this damn boat, let's get this over with" if he was going to hell he was sure as hell condemning himself, Natsu wasn't about to give anyone else the satisfaction of it. Well he might give Erza the satisfaction, provided she cut off his head before he tore out her neck, or as he tore out her neck as the case may be. Either way he was definitely going to hell, it's just in this case hell was a boat.

Smirk still firmly in place, and not looking like it was going to fade away anytime soon, Ultear sauntered past him, her hips swaying perhaps more than entirely necessary "This way" she said, beckoning him with a long pale finger and leading him through the town of Hargeon towards the docks.

Her original assessment of him had been utterly and completely correct.

Salamander was going to be so much fun.

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Erza savoured the hot water as it rushed over her naked form, loving it's almost searing heat on her skin as she ran her hands through her luscious scarlet hair. There was something about today, maybe because her injuries had finally faded away and she was allowed to remove her bandages, and had just done so before getting into the shower, maybe because she hadn't dreamt of Salamander that night, instead she dreamt of delicious strawberry cake, or maybe for some other reason unknown to her, but it made her feel good, better than she had felt since that mission involving Eisenwald and Salamander in fact. It made her feel like it was just a part of her past, it was over, no longer worth consideration or thought.

Wrapping herself in a fluffy white towel Erza dried her hair with another, finding the task of drying her hair slowly with only the towel and her hands to be rather calming, monotonous but not in a unpleasant way. Once she was done the towel she wore had absorbed most of the moisture from her skin and she was quick to wipe away any that was left.

Done with that she headed over to her wardrobe, wanting to dress today rather than requip for reasons she couldn't explain. As she opened up her underwear draw she came face to face with them, a set of underwear she had bought a few weeks back, well before the Eisenwald incident, well before Salamander. A pair of scarlet panties and matching bra.

"_You should consider wearing red panties… Red, same colour as your hair… they'd look so much better…"_

Her fist impacted with a heavy thud, shattering the wardrobe and spilling its contents all around her feet, but Erza wasn't focused on that, she was trying to restrain herself from destroying anything else, from conjuring up a set of swords and carving every piece of underwear that she owned that was even vaguely red into a thousand pieces, and any in white as well for that matter, from burning her entire wardrobe down and staring again from scratch, or from just smashing up a few sets of her less used armours.

Eventually her breathing calmed and she relaxed, rage dying down, leaving just a loathing of herself for being so weak to her emotions and a far stronger loathing of Salamander for making her feel weak.

She glanced down at the red underwear, now partly hidden in the mess of clothes and splinters _'I wonder if I'd really look good in them?'_

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"Morning Erza" Mira's cheerful welcome and smiling countenance brought a deep sense of calmness in Erza, a calmness she had been sadly lacking since the events less than half an hour before.

"Mira" Erza felt her previously stern features slip seamlessly into a smile at the sight of the barmaid's own, seemingly ever present on the silver haired girls face, only fading when the situation was _that_ serious, which it thankfully rarely was.

Mira offered her an even brighter smile, her closed eyes and slightly tilted face only adding to the perfection of her upwards curved lips.

After that concise but satisfying greeting Erza made her way over to the stairs leading up the guild second floor.

"Erza!" Mira's tone was slightly panicked, and her smile was distinctly absent.

"What's wrong?"

"You're taking an S-class job?"

Erza blinked and tilted her own head in confusion "Yes" she responded. She was an S-class mage after all, she was perfectly entitled to take S-class requests. After a moment without response from Mira Erza continued her way up.

"Erza!" Mira's voice called again, but this time she had to lean over the bannister to look down at the eldest Strauss sibling who was staring up at her. For a moment their gazes met and Erza felt something of their old rivalry building, but rather than the need to constantly blame Mira and the desire to beat her up on a regular basis, and the utter annoyance at her ugly face, awful clothes and fucking grating voice, they hadn't exactly gotten on, it felt more like a challenge. And Erza didn't back down, despite being somewhat confused. After a moment Mira sighed "Erza, do me a favour and take the cheapest, please?"

Once again Erza blinked, still confused, but nodded "I will" she responded, heading over to the board and quickly locating the cheapest job _'Cursed Island' _she felt a grim smile appear on her face. This would be perfect, partly to get her back into the rhythm of jobs, she hadn't gone on one in more than a week after all, and partly to get her attention far away from Salamander.

Mira watched Erza leave from behind the bar, wiping down a glass distractedly, and it had been clean for at least five minutes. She let out a sigh that betrayed her worries, maybe she was being silly, Erza was an S-class mage after all, she could handle S-class job, unlike… _'Unlike me…' _she shook away such thoughts, unwilling to succumb to them. She was just worried. Erza had been pretty beaten up when they brought her back after all, they needed to get Porlyusica's help, no easy task, in order to ensure her full recovery and now, the moment she was healed, she headed out on a S-class job where the slightest mistake could easily spell death.

She put down the glass with a heavy thump, now certain that she wouldn't lose this worried feeling until Erza came back, with some oversized ornamental trinket in tow, to lay into the guild about how rambunctious they had been in her absence. The thought almost brought a smile to Mira's face, not a difficult task by anyone's standards, but it fell short despite that.

She was worried.

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The train journey to Hargeon passed swiftly, the time flying by. As she exited the train she remembered her previous adventure in this place, her meeting with Lucy, the delicious strawberry cake she had eaten, and… and… her smile faltered… and Salamander, burning a man to death and leaving him stabbed into the wall, the mark of his guild Torched Heaven seared into Bora's flesh. It had been a disgusting sight, Erza was used to seeing things far worse but it still rankled her that she had been so close to Salamander and not caught him, and more so that she allowed him to get away with such an atrocity.

By now her hands had balled into fists and her hair was beginning to whip about violently in a cascade of her own magical power that had begun to build and rage around her, creating a visible scarlet aura about her person. She calmed herself quickly, not wanting to cause a scene, though she already had and most people were now a good twenty or thirty feet away from the terrifying redhead, and thought nice, peaceful thoughts that put a smile back on her face.

If any of the townsfolk knew the real reason behind the armoured redheads bright smile they'd back away quickly as it involved stakes, swords, whips and cudgels and Salamander's durable body and all the painful delights she could deliver to him before finally turning him over to the council where he would doubtless be sentenced to death. A wonderful daydream for Erza to indulge in before she got down to the gritty business of 'convincing' the first captain she saw to take her to Galuna Island.

"Galuna Island?" the captain, a bearded, hatted, eye-patched and rather round man who wore a tiny jacket that was undone up the front and left most of his hairy midriff and chest bare, said grumpily at her inquiry "Get outta here, I'm not going anywhere near that place" as he was about to turn, mumbling about idiot mages with their idiot, and unreasonable, requests, the captain felt a shiver run down his spine, like someone had just stepped on his grave… and shoved a sword clean through it. When he turned his head around to look at the red haired mage he found her face wreathed in shadows, her intense brown eyes the only thing visible of her visage, intense brown eyes that bore deep into his soul, ripped it out, boned it, gutted it and filleted it "Oh, Galuna Island?" he said, suddenly all charm "Of course I'd be willing to take you there, of course, it's no problem whatsoever miss, no problem at all" his crew, having heard his sudden charm glanced over and hearing the name Galuna stared incredulously, until they saw the red haired young woman whose aura of power and domination set their neck hairs on end. When her gaze didn't diminish the captain, now willing to do anything to stop her from glaring, suddenly said "I-in fact I'll take you there for free, couldn't possibly charge a nice young lady like yourself" he slowly back away, wanting to put some space between him and the scary lady, even though, no matter how much space was between them, he still wouldn't be able to get away "and you can have my cabin for the journey, bit of a mess but I'll tidy up. O-okay?"

Erza stopped frowning and smiled gratefully, people could be so understanding and kind "Thank you for your assistance."

The captain nodded nervously and led her aboard, while shouting at his crew to get ready to set sail, he wasn't sure how long she would be willing to wait. He decided mentally to not even grumble _mentally _about unreasonable mages, there was something about her that made him certain she would know.

He was a storm hardened captain, had spent two years stranded on a deserted island, fought off a sea serpent with nothing but a harpoon, lost his eye in mortal combat with Funky J Roofy, the most badass pirate in all the land.

And this girl was more terrifying than all of them put together, which would be fighting Funky J Roofy and his sea serpent pet with only a harpoon in the middle of a giant storm after spending two years alone on a deserted island, with nothing but coconuts for sustenance, there always seemed to be coconuts. Anyway, she was definitely scarier than that.

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Natsu tumbled over the edge of the boat, scrambling for purchase in the soft sand, before throwing up onto the beach before him. Behind him Ultear, sitting on the prow of the ship and half smirking half grimacing, restrained the urge to giggle along with the urge to gag. The rumours of Salamander's weakness to transportation were true it seemed, in fact the rumours, which generally made things out to be more than they were, didn't do this particular matter justice.

Throughout the boat ride he had been near catatonic save to whine about the boat, and given how sick he had looked the second he stepped onto the floating contraption it was a surprise he managed to hold it in all the way to the shore.

Salamander really didn't fare well on transportation.

He puked a second time, completely emptying his stomach, the taste of bile and half-digested food thick and disgustingly bitter in his mouth in no way aiding his tumultuous stomach. He gagged again but had nothing left to disgorge. Hacking and spitting several times Natsu tried to clear his mouth of the taste and stop the continual swaying of the world that really wasn't helping as he felt like he was still on the fucking boat he had just gotten off of "I hate boats" he moaned weakly.

Ultear couldn't restrain her giggles this time, and desperately tried to hold them back with a hand over her mouth as Salamander glared back at her, but she only found his weak sickly glare to be even more amusing.

"Fuck you" he cursed at her.

"I'm sure you want to" she teased, crossing her luscious white thighs, but Natsu was too busy hacking and spitting again to notice, both her reply and her legs. Once Natsu had crawled over to the ocean and swilled seawater through his mouth, saltiness preferable to bile, and then finally clambered to his feet, Ultear spoke again this time more seriously and of the matter at hand "You remember your job? You are to watch over Deliora's revival, if we're forced to meet in front of the others I will be in the guise of Zalty, please don't spoil my disguise this time."

"Right, right" Natsu waved off her seriousness lest it infect him too.

"Another thing" she stood up and moved over to where he stood, placing her finger gently against his chin "I'll be watching" with a sly grin she turned to leave.

Natsu caught her wrist before she could "You sort of explained it before, but it seems odd to me that you'd waste the resources to pay me for this job when you're going to be on the Island the whole time" Ultear met his gaze fearlessly, in part because there was no threat in them, just curiosity "I've been on jobs that turned out to be ambushes before" he told her "There were twenty of them, all dark mages, all reasonably skilled, a few with some rare and quite powerful magic items. All but one of them is dead, the rest of the guild followed, and I located and killed the false employer shortly after that."

Ultear frowned "Is that a threat or a warning?" she wondered, genuinely curious.

"A warning."

She nodded in acceptance "Either way, this isn't an ambush, just a means to an end" his eyes searched hers for any sign of dishonesty and apparently found none as he nodded and let go of her wrist, turning away to head into the thick forest that blanketed the island "Salamander" her voice stopped him after two paces, but he didn't turn to look at her "You said all but one of them, what happened to the last?"

Natsu grinned, and turned his head to meet Ultear's searching gaze "Him? He joined Torched Heaven."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"HALLOO!" his voice echoed through the temple, the loud noise out of place and unwelcome in such an old and haggard place "HALLOO!" he called again when there was no reply, his voice sounding up the steps, over the pillar, through distant corridors and beyond.

He had been searching the island for well over an hour, and seriously regretted not asking Ultear for directions, but eventually his search had led him to this place, an old rundown temple that had seen better days and better years and likely better centuries. It's outer walls were covered in cracks, roots thick as he was grew through the breaks in the rock, the carvings that had once decorated this place had been worn down over the years, losing their detail and sometimes fading altogether, leaving just a few bumps in the rock to evidence their existence.

The only reason he had even found this place was because of how it smelled. The rest of the island was covered in a strange, foreign scent that Natsu had never smelt before. But this place, this place stank of humanity.

After another moment with still no answer forthcoming, Natsu entered in through what might've been a doorway or an archway, though if it was a doorway it lacked a door, and weren't arches rounded at the top, he supposed they could be squared but thought they were all rounded and that that was why it was an arch and not a square-way or something.

Inside more plants grew through the cracks, drinking up what little sunlight penetrated the hall, a collapsed pillar sat directly ahead and to his right was what might've once been a fountain and after that a set of stone steps leading to a raised level. There were several carving inside the temple to match those on the outside, only these were far more preserved being more protected from the elements in here. More than a few bore more than a passing resemblance to a crescent moon.

'_Ga-Luna Island…' _he chuckled, how amusing, then looked around "No answer, huh? Maybe they're out" he wondered "Maybe they're dead" he scratched his head "Or maybe they're…" he moved, a hand with razor sharp nails passing by his cheek. Natsu struck as they passed, his fist breaking the man's nose and he would've flown back slamming into the far wall, if Natsu's other hand hadn't reached out quickly, grabbed the other man by his skull, and brought him back down for another punch.

He let the now limp man fall to the ground and glanced down at him, kicking him onto his back to get a better look. Natsu blinked as he stared. He had short brown hair and on top of his head was a pair of canine ears, his lower face was a different colour to the rest of him and capped with a dark nose strongly resembling a canine muzzle. He was bear chested and wore only a pair of jeans with a shield symbol on the leg, the shield bore the emblem of a skull with a pair of dog ears much like the one's on the man's head "Is he…" Natsu blinked "A dog? Did I just beat up a dog?" he grimaced, wincing uncomfortably "Again" that was an embarrassing memory, but the stupid little mutt had stolen his pasty and you never, ever stole Natsu's pasty. After a brief scrap with the Runes Knights, which left an entire unit decimated, and finally being persuaded by Spitfire, who was in the area, that he could always get another, Natsu left the dog whimpering, burned, but alive. Poor dog… or perhaps, lucky dog.

Natsu looked up "So tell me, is he your dog?" he asked the figures who stood still in the shadows, thinking they were hidden perhaps.

A man, with blue hair spiked upwards and very odd squared eyebrows who wore a long green coat and a woman with pink hair tied up in pigtails and blue eyes who wore a purple and pink dress, stepped out of the shadows, their gazes locked on him as Natsu's gaze switched from one to the other at regular intervals.

They stared him down flatly, not a hint of concern for their fallen comrade in their eyes, that is until Natsu slammed his foot down on the man's skull just as the downed man was about to lift up his once again clawed hands. After that there a bit of concern.

They glanced at each other, then the girl stepped forwards saying "Allow me" before magic swirled around her palms "Doll Play Attack" the pinkette announced, not Natsu the girl "Rock Doll!" behind her the rubble gathered, merging together until they formed a whole. Then the girl stood atop a giant golem forged of rock, a small smile playing about her lips at Natsu's clear amazement.

"W-whoa, it's huge!" Natsu said, staring up at the titanic golem in amazement, nowhere near as big as Lullaby, but he hadn't exactly been paying attention to it, at the time it had been little more than a nuisance that was in his way.

"Rock Doll" the girl said waving her arm dramatically "Crush him" barely waiting for the order to be spoken, the golem-like creatures giant arm raised, its hand clenching into a fist, and swung.

Natsu felt a grin twitched onto his face as his fist became consumed in flames "You wanna play? Then let's play" he met its punch, the ground beneath him cracking, the ground around them shattering, the sheer force of their collision caused a shockwave that lifted Toby, who had been lying just to Natsu's right, up and threw him away. After a second Natsu grinned, and let a tiny bit more force enter his flame coated fist.

His fist sheared through the stone, but his arm wasn't that long so instead of continuing further through the arm Natsu let a bit of explosive force travel up through the rock. And the entire thing blew up in a shower of stone and flame. The rock doll shattered, returning to rubble from whence it came. It broke apart like a glass bottle over someone's head, or rather Natsu's head as glass bottles were actually pretty tough things, but Natsu's head was tougher. A glass bottle versus Natsu's head, it was obvious which of those was going to take more damage, heck you'd need a borehole drill to cause even a scratch in Natsu's cranium, and you still wouldn't get through to the soft mushy centre, or the hollowed out centre as the case may be.

The girl landed with a thud on the ground, rolling over twice before slamming to a halt against the wall. Slightly bruised and battered, she still managed to get to her feet and looked up at Natsu, the man who had just shattered her most powerful magic with his fist.

"That all?" Natsu asked after a moment.

"Tch" the blue haired man scoffed at his two comrades, before stepping forwards and facing Natsu head on "I will be your opponent" he said with a cocky grin on his face "My name is Yuka Suzuki."

"Oh, goody" Natsu said unenthusiastically, not bothering to return the introduction. Why couldn't he fight anyone strong? He wanted to fight someone strong? Someone who could press him to his limits? Someone like… He gritted his teeth and charged forwards towards Yuka.

His flaming fist swung round, but Yuka simply raised his hand in response, summoning up a shield of transparent blue energy. Natsu's flames dispelled against the magic.

"Nullifier" Natsu said, recognising the type of magic.

"You know" Yuka smiled arrogantly "Then you know it's pointless to continue you this, just surrender and accept your defe…"

"FIRE DRAGON'S FLAME ELBOW!" Natsu roared, he already figured out the weakness, when he pressed he could move through the barrier, but with difficulty, so all he needed was a boost, and several explosive tons behind his elbows was force aplenty. His fist caught Yuka right in the face and sent him into the wall behind him, the wall buckling under the force of his flying body and cracking beneath him.

Natsu scowled "Is that it?" he looked around, the girl was struggling to stand, dog-man and Yuka were also struggling to their feet, but they were all defeated "IS THAT ALL?!" not waiting for an answer he was instantly in front of the girl, and punched her clean in the face, knocking her right off of her feet with the force of his blow. Then he was over to the dog-man and grabbed and threw him at the girl, landing on top of her. He walked almost calmly over to Yuka and picked the blue haired man up by the hair, Natsu smacked his fist across the man's face twice, then he threw him over as well.

Why? Why were they so weak? So pathetic? He wanted a challenge, a battle, something that got his heart racing, where every moment he was inches from death, he wanted to face an enemy who could match him blow for blow, who would hit him with all the force he hit them, who would try and kill him as he would try and kill them. He wanted Erza Scarlet… and he couldn't have her, and that pissed him off.

Fire raged through his body, gathering in his lungs, he wanted something and he couldn't have it, it was so frustrating, he wanted it, and when he wanted something he took it, but she wasn't there to take "FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!" and so he roared, sending fires hot as the flames of hell raging towards his three downed foes, fire that would burn them all the ash in mere seconds, that would reduce them to nothing.

But the scent of torched flesh didn't reach his nostrils, momentary screams of pain as fire consumed their being were never voiced, and as the flames died away the reason became clear. A barrier ice stood between him and his victims, a barrier that had blocked him flames, a barrier behind which a fourth person stood, glaring sternly at his three comrades.

"Reitei-sama!" they declared in unison, staring at their saviour.

Reitei had only contempt for them, though his eyes were unseen in the dark eyeholes of his skull like helm "Can you not even handle a single man?" he asked, voice cold as his magic.

They flinched, Yuka dropped to his knees "My apologies, Reitei-sama" his comrades soon followed suit, but Reitei didn't care.

He was about to reprimand them further when, in the space of a second, a sound like glass shattering sounded, a small fragment of ice sliced a slim cut onto his exposed face, and Natsu's burning fist, having smashed through the ice wall, was now on a crash course with Reitei's chin.

"REITEI-SAMA!" Sherry screamed upon seeing the leader she looked up to and admired and maybe even lo… lo… lov… lov… NO! There were more important matters right now, such as Reitei being punched and sent flying. But she needn't have worried as he flipped over in mid-air, landing in a ready crouch, and glared up at the man who had attacked him.

"I really, really hate being interrupted" Natsu said heatedly, glaring at the man half standing before him "Now who the fuck are you and why are you getting in my way? Be warned this is sudden death and a wrong answer will see you immediately eliminated, and no, this is not a quiz, and yes, I do mean sudden death, yours."

Reitei frowned and slowly stood up to his full height, rubbing briefly at his bruised chin and staring at Natsu intently and icily. This man was worthy of due caution, for a fire mage to shatter his ice, never mind that such a notion was downright insulting, it also displayed said fire mages immense power "I could ask you the same" he said in response "Who are you? Why are you here?"

Natsu's glare darkened, then he blinked "Wait a second, I haven't introduced myself, have I?" he scratched his head sheepishly "Jeez, sorry about that, um, my names Natsu, I'm from the evil Dark Guild Torched Heaven, and I'm here on a job… something about deli chicken I think, I definitely remember deli chicken being mentioned."

Reitei blinked _'D-deli chicken?' _then he shook his head "From Torched heaven you say" he looked at him sharply "Then you know our mutual… contact."

"Contact?" Natsu blinked again "You mean Ulty?"

Hidden behind his darkened eye holes Reitei, also, blinked "Do you mean 'Zalty'?"

"Was that it?" Natsu frowned and scratched his chin "Yeah, yeah, it probably was… might not've been, but whatever. So you're this Raygay guy?"

"Reitei" Reitei said, his voice reassuming its cold commanding nature "Zalty mentioned that he was hiring some extra assistance. Unnecessary, but he insisted" he glared at Natsu "I don't know what games he's playing, but rest assured that I do not trust him, nor do I trust you. You are to observe only…"

"Unless there's a threat to this 'project', I was listening… and I sort of remember, a bit of it, not much to be honest" not for the first time Reitei twitched in annoyance, amusement and possibly wonder, it was one of them "And don't worry, I'm in the same boat of 'not trusting Salty', we aren't exactly friends" _'Though I have the strange feeling she'd smother me in her thighs to kill me, a death and a treat. Then again, the only thighs I want smothering me to death are Erza's…' _the fact that he found the death part more exciting than the thighs part spoke wonders for Natsu's mental health, or lack thereof. He sighed and spoke with no enthusiasm "Anyway, that's my job, watch over this 'project'… Err" Natsu scratched his head "Just out of curiosity what was the project again?" his stomach growled "And do you have any food?"

Definitely not for the last time, Reitei twitched.

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It had been late evening when Erza leapt the remaining hundred odd meters from the ship to the shore, needless to say the sailors were shocked, amazed and terrified in equal measure, and now night was nearly upon them and she had just arrived at the gigantic wooden gates that towered far above her that led into the village. Or at least she hoped led into the village.

Ignoring the large sign with the words 'KEEP OUT' written on it, Erza knocked on the gate. After a moment with no answer she knocked a little harder, after another moment with no answer she pounded on the door rather heavily "EXCUSE ME!"

With the gates shuddering from the force of what could only be a battering ram, two guards hurried atop the walls, and instead of an army of inhuman monsters and a ram shaped like a wolfs head dragged by great beasts and moved by trolls, they found an armoured red-haired girl, knocking on the gate with nothing more than her gauntleted fist, the wood shaking out dust with every knock, and it was beginning to crack too.

"HEY, STOP THAT!" he shouted.

Erza blinked and looked up at the two guards "My apologies, I thought you couldn't hear me" she said, bowing formally "I am Erza Scarlet from the mage guild Fairy Tail, I accepted the request made by this village."

The guard blinked and glanced at his partner, then shouted down "We heard someone accepted, but weren't expecting them for several days."

Erza smiled "I found a captain kind enough to take me here immediately."

Glancing briefly at the wooden gates the girl had been well on her way to smashing down, the guard nodded, he could believe that, that she had found someone to take her that is, after all who the hell would refuse someone like that.

"Okay then, before you enter show me your guild mark" Erza shifted her pauldron to give him a better look at the blue mark on her arm "Okay, OPEN THE GATE" he shouted, and the gate was slowly cranked up with a low rumble "AND SOMEONE GET THE CHIEF!"

Erza waited until the gate was at just the right height for her to walk under without having to crouch before entering, once inside she was shown to the central square, which was actually a circle. Did that make it a central circle then?

The villagers were all dressed in heavy robes and veils that covered them head to toe, the chief, a short man bearing a wooden staff capped with a stone shaped like a crescent moon, stepped forwards to greet her "I am Moka, the chief of this village, thank you for coming here" Moka said "I know this may seem sudden but please look at this. Everyone!" at his word they all stripped of the robes they wore, revealing beneath the deformed arms and legs, heads and chests, some with horns, others with bestial teeth, all distinctly not human, demonic even.

"I see" Erza said neutrally looking at them intently but showing little to no sign of shock.

Moka blinked, she wasn't shocked? Not at all "R-right" he coughed and continued with his dramatic speech "Every living creature on this island, dogs and birds, even insects, are affect by this curse."

"May I ask what makes you so certain it's a curse?" she inquired suddenly "I've heard of diseases that cause such deformities, could it not be one of them?"

Moka shook his head "We have consulted many doctors, and they've all said that it is no disease, and it passes from species to species so easily. No, this must be the work of a curse, the Moon's Curse!"

"The moon's curse?"

Moka nodded "Yes. Since ancient times this Island had absorbed the light of the moon, allowing it to shine as beautifully as the moon itself, but several years ago the moonlight suddenly turned purple."

"And after that" she gestured at his demonic arms "this happened?" Moka nodded "I see" she frowned "I've never seen a purple moon though."

"People from the mainland always say that, but I tell you the moon is purple."

Erza frowned again, and stroked her chin as she thought _'So if they're to be believed the moon is purple on this island. Which means it can't be a spell affecting the moon directly or caused by the moon as it's localised to this island, after all just yesterday I saw the moon and it certainly wasn't purple. But first I need more information' _"If you don't mind could I…" she stopped as purple light hit the ground around her and turned her gaze upwards. The moon, the perfect, beautiful, bright moon was glimmering down with an eerily purple light

"It's a curse" Moka said, his voice sounding strangely strained. Erza looked down and found him visibly sweating and his body tensed "The moons curs-ARRRRRGGGHHH!"

He screamed suddenly, collapsing to his knees, the others were screaming as well, choking, pulling at their hair, gripping their heads, then all of a sudden their bodies starting shifting. Starting from their deformity it spread like wildfire, until it covered their entire bodies.

The screaming stopped before Erza could move to help, and they slowly struggled up. Some had gained scaled skin, others skin turned red and blue and purple, more still had wings, others had claws and tails once deformed humans had been transformed into, what were undeniably, demons.

"When the purple moon comes out" Moka said "Our bodies turn into these horrible demons. If this isn't a curse then what is it?"

Somewhere in the crowd a child was crying, comforted by a larger man, but both were horrifying demons, their freakish features serving to mock the touching but not uncommon scene that played out before her.

"Once morning comes most turn back into their human forms" Moka told her "But some… some don't, they lose their soul and become real demons. We decided… we decided to kill those who didn't turn back."

Erza's eyed widened.

"You must understand, if we didn't they'd kill others, and we can't imprison them, they're too strong. So we… we…" Moka started crying, tears dripping down his purple face "We kill them, even… even Bobo… even my own son!"

"I understand" she said "I'll help you."

"There is only one way to stop this curse" Moka told her "You must… DESTROY THE MOON!"

Erza blinked then leaned back to stare up at the purple moon _'Destroy the moon? Impossible, not even the strongest mage could do it, never mind the affects it might have. Besides I already don't think it's the moon, but instead something else that's affecting this island' _"Before that, I need some more information" Erza told him "Please tell me everything you know about the curse, when it started, how it started, what's its first effects were, what else you've done to try and cure it."

"I…" Moka frowned, he didn't really see what that had to do with destroying the moon, but she was going to help so he'd do whatever he could to help "Of course."

Over the course of several hours Erza gathered a clearer and clearer picture of what was going on, everyone had a piece of the puzzle and she talked to them all, taking that piece and putting it into place, but at the end of it she still lacked several major pieces, lacked some information, yet had a good idea of what was going on.

It was as she pondered this that she noticed something "That light, over there, what is that?" a shaft of purple light had gathered and was beaming down upon something hidden behind the walls and likely within the forest.

"T-that is…" Moka looked away uncomfortably "There is a temple dedicated to the moon over there, it's been there since before I was born."

"And the light?"

"I… I don't know" he confessed "We have tried to get near the temple" he told "but every time we get close we end up back here. I know it sounds stupid and unbelievable but I swear it's true, we leave the village bearing weapons, head straight towards it, and then we're back at the gates."

'_Another piece of the puzzle' _Erza thought, she was almost certain that she now knew what was going on here, but… _'But first I need to get a look inside that temple.'_

Just as she was about to ask for directions there was a sound, a metallic sound, also akin to nails scraping down a black board, only a thousand times worse, and a billion times louder. It hit them like a physical wave, knocking one man over, sending others to their knees, but Erza remained stood, hands clasped over her ears, glaring in the direction it had come from. The beam of light. The temple.

"I will return" Erza shouted back at the villagers, once the horrific sound had died down but while most were still recovering from the intensity, sprinting at full pelt towards the gates. But they were closed and opening them would take too long so she requipped into her Black Wing Armour and leapt clean over them, landing on the dirt track at the other side she quickly made a bee line straight for the beam of light.

Erza, at that point, had no idea that Salamander was on this Island, but more than that, she had no idea that Salamander had arrived two days past.

* * *

Now I do believe the correct phrase to put here is "You just got punk'd" no?

Well I'm back, sort of. This chapter it done, but Chapter 8 isn't so I better get working on that, I had real trouble with 7 and 8 originally and rewriting them is perhaps an even bigger bitch, but I'm struggling through, with any luck I'll have Chapter 8 ready by next week, but no promises.

On a different note, do you believe that the greatest amongst us rise to power and fame, do you truly think that the best men become King's? That is a message to everyone who feels that NeoShadows isn't God-King of NatsuXErza, and that the honour should go to Tendencies Wrath (aka Kuroyagi), I can't remember if I've read much of his work, but then again I can't remember my age, my name, what I did yesterday, or even what day it is today, but I have definitely read some of it, and its brilliant, great, something I could never match. So ask yourself, is the greatest person ever the one with power, the one who rules? Look at history and you will find your answer, it is full of selfish, egotistical, arrogant monarchs (and no I'm not trying to insult you God-King NeoShadows(I am trying to overthrow you, still)), not the truly great men and women. Anyway that became a bit more philosophical than I intended so...

Toodles (Do you think I should change my endprhase to 'The Toodles is a lie'?)


	8. Delioga, Leon and 'Ul' was it?

**Chapter 8: Delioga, Leon and 'Ul' was it?**

"ROOOOOOOOUNNNNRGHNCKK… zuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzu… ROOOOOOONNNNKGURHG… zuzuzuzuzuzuzuzu… KOOOOOOKARGH… zuzuzuzuzuzu… ROOOOOOONKuhuhblahka?" Natsu blinked looking around sleepily "Ara… wa… gana… hah?" his eyes narrowed to protect them against the glaring sunlight. Briefly he wondered if he had fallen asleep on the walls of Devilfire Keep again. But no, it would be far colder if he had, it was actually rather warm just here.

"Ah, so that's where I am" he said, looking around at the beautiful island scenery, with the calm ocean beyond that belt of green, from atop the temple "Err…" Natsu frowned "Where is that again?"

He stood up and stretched, kicking out his legs and clicking his neck to remove the ache from them, then sat back down on the rock he had called his bed that night.

He was on Galuna Island, on a job for Grimoire Heart, waiting for the demon Deliora to be revived.

'_This is actually a rather nice place' _he thought, looking around from his claimed sleeping spot on the temple roof. And it was, gorgeous beaches, deep luscious forests, it truly was a wonderful beautiful place, not that Natsu really cared for the scenery much, it's just that he had had to take a boat to get here and so he was going to enjoy himself whether he liked it or not, otherwise his misery and suffering would be worthless, never mind that he was here on a damn job he was going to fucking enjoy himself. Understand!

Nodding in agreement with himself, he then leaned back to stare up at the deep blue sky.

'_Moon Drip, huh?' _his mind drifted back to last night, when the sky was black and the usually silver moon was purple. Moon Drip, Natsu new next to nothing about the spell, but what he had gathered was that it was one hell of a complex spell. Chanting in Beria, not a common language by anyone's standards, manipulating the moons natural magic dispelling properties with magic, not an easy task by anyone's standards, and the sheer number of people needed to perform it, not an insignificant number by anyone's standards, basically the spell was quite tricky, by anyone's standards.

Moon Drip was not a common spell, and it certainly wasn't a spell a ragtag group of mages could learn about on their own, never mind gather enough information to actually make use of it.

No, in order to learn about a spell like this you'd need some kind of large organised group, someone with fingers in many pies, preferably ground into the meat so as to avoid suspicion. And that was just to learn _about _the spell, not actually learn about its inner workings. To obtain that sort of detailed information of a spell so obscure you'd need a group with fingers in flanges, and cheesecakes, and quiches, and pasties, and vol au vent's, and a few biscuits, as well as the pies.

Basically you'd need a group like Grimoire Heart.

Wiping away the drool that had accumulated during the long list of foods, Natsu grinned _'Look's like Torched Heaven isn't the only group they're using to keep attention away from them' _if a demon were to be resurrected and destroyed an island then the council was in for a shit storm, and if the bastard survived and continued its rampage then all of Fiore might be fucked.

Of course given that Natsu was here and had orders to defeat the demon if/when Reitei failed, it was unlikely that was gonna happen. Not to brag but Natsu could handle a demon, or two, or several, or a billion, hell bring the whole fucking lot of them on, he'd pound them all to dust with his eyes closed, hands tied behind his back, while reciting the alphabet, backwards. Not bragging, remember?

"Pimpbar Part, you sneaky little bastards… I respect that" it was the sort of thing Charmain would do, have contingencies and safe guards in place, while implying he was entrusting this highly valuable task to you and you alone.

He closed his eyes and relaxed, it was an odd series of events that led him here, so soon after such a thrilling fight and a spat with Charmain. He had been hoping for a conflict with Grimoire Heart, instead he found the rather likeable Ultear. Natsu rarely found people likeable, but few people oozed danger like Ultear, danger and power, the perfect combination.

And there was something about this island as well, something smelled off. Not off like rotten eggs, more off like the scent of strawberry shampoo somehow striking him above the scent of fire, blood and sweat. His teeth clenched.

"Get out of my fucking head, Scarlet."

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"Shelly, right?"

The pink haired girl came to an abrupt halt at the voice. It took her a moment to work up the courage to glance up at him. Sat on a wall high above her, with a grin on his face, was the same man who had given her the bruise currently stinging on her cheek, covered by makeup for now but still very much there.

"N… Natsu…-san?" she added at the end not wanting to aggravate him in any way "And it's Sherry."

"Huh, it was?" Natsu scratched his head "Okay, sorry about that, Shelby."

Sherry blinked "N-no" she said, wondering how exactly had forgotten in the space of one or two seconds, was that even possible? "Sherry."

"Oh, sorry about that again… Jerry."

"HOW DO YOU FORGET A NAME YOU'VE JUST BEEN TOLD TWICE!" the girl screamed.

"Alright, alright" he said, rubbing his ears. Why did all girls seem to have an unlimited capacity for screams so loud they actually hurt his eardrums, but only when they were annoyed "I got it, I got it... Kelly."

Sherry opened her mouth, then stopped "I don't even care anymore" she decided, then got to business, resuming her more cautious tone "Did you need something, Natsu-san?"

"Yeah, actually I did…"

Sherry gulped.

"…I wanna ask a few questions."

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Shelly shifted uncomfortably, wishing she hadn't gone to the bathroom at that point, wishing she had just said 'Actually I need to go to bed', wishing she wasn't in this situation. But she was.

Sat on the roof, in the shade of a reasonably large boulder which Natsu sat on top of, Sherry waited.

And waited.

And still waited.

"Um, Natsu-san?" she said, peering over the edge of the rock.

He was sat up, staring off into the distance, but glanced back as she shifted "Huh? Oh right questions… err…" he leaned back, lying flat "Well… I guess what I want to ask was… Why?" he nodded in agreement with himself, ignoring Sherry blinking in confusion "Why do you want revive Deliora?"

Sherry blinked "W-Why?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I…" she frowned 'why' she knew the answer of course, it had changed from the original reason, but the original was still there, just with some add-ons. But Sherry didn't want to confess such personal things, not to anyone "That… that is… personal" she said, her cheek throbbed as she spoke, almost in warning. But whatever she feared did not come to pass.

"I see…" lying flat on the rock, he tilted his heads upwards, or what would be upwards if he was standing up, and looked at Sherry "Well… Could you tell me even vaguely why? I don't need details or… your life story or anything like that, I'm just curious as to why you would want to bring a demon back to life."

"That…" she gulped and looked away "Why are you curious?" Sherry asked, while trying to think of an appropriate response.

"Hmm, well, err" Natsu frowned "I guess it's because it seems like an odd thing for a group of people to do, so it stands to reason that you have a… well a reason, for doing it. And it is sorta of my job to make sure this ancient demon revival ritual thing goes off without a hitch, so… I suppose knowing the reasons why aren't necessary, but I like a bit of backstory anyway" Sherry and Natsu's eyes met for a moment "But the major reason I want to know why is because you guys don't seem like the type who'd revive a monster that caused destruction and chaos and death and all that jazz."

"We don't?" Natsu raised an eyebrow at her "Seem like type, I mean" she clarified "Why do you think we aren't the type who'd revive a demon?"

He chuckled "I know people who just wanna watch the world burn…" he grinned darkly "Rest assured I know that type of person very, _very_ well…" Sherry flinched, easily grasping what he was hinting at. Sat just a few feet away from her, casually reclining in the sun, was someone who _did_ want to watch the world burn, Sherry knew that to be true "…and you lot aren't them" Natsu continued, the dark cloud his previous words had left scattering like dust in the wind "You all have reasons, I know that much, I can practically smell it, taste it even" Natsu tongue flicked out as if tasting the air "There's anger, some worry, and some fear, glee as well, but mostly anticipation. And none of you are being forced here, your here, your helping, willingly."

The pink haired girl stared at the pink haired boy. He had been here a day, and spent most of that asleep or eating, and in that day he had sensed what she had started feeling three years ago.

Anger, at the demon for it all had done. Worry, that it would all go to hell. Fear, that Reitei might not win. Glee, at the demons demise. And above it all anticipation of the oncoming end, an end that would finally see their lost families laid to rest.

"We have…" she started slowly "We have all lost someone to Deliora, all of us who follow Reitei-sama. A family member, a friend, some have lost their entire families, others still lost their entire village to the demon" she shivered and brought her knees up, her arms wrapped around them, cuddling them to her chest "I was a mage of Lamia Scale sometime after I lost… them…" she held back a tear and forced herself onwards, unsure of why she was telling Natsu these things, unsure of many things "I heard of Reitei, and of his quest to unfreeze Deliora, and kill the demon. Yuka, Toby and myself sought him out, and fought him, and he defeated us, alone" for a moment a frown marred her face. Natsu had done much the same thing. She shook it away "We decided to help him, wanting revenge for our lost families. We moved the demon here, the island where Moon Drip can be used, and began unfreezing the demon… that was three years ago" Sherry paused. She had answered his question, and more, but still felt inclined to explain further "That is why we're unfreezing Deliora. Revenge. And Reitei-sama can give us that, he can defeat Deliora and he can kill it, I'm certain of that" she stood "Yes" her hand moved out in an overly dramatic fashion, reaching for something intangible "For that is… Love!"

Natsu snorted.

Sherry blushed, stood up straight, and cleared her throat "So, does that answer your question, Natsu-san?"

"Yes it does, you can go now."

Her eye twitched at his dismissal. She had just given him her personal life story and he waved her off like she was just a pest. With a scowl she turned and left.

"Thank you" Natsu said, as her back disappeared into the temple "Sherry."

With a sigh he kicked back, staring up at the sky blue sky, tainted by only a few streaks of fluffy white cloud.

"So that's why. Revenge, huh? But still…" Natsu shifted, leaning his head back "…that does beg the question of… Why exactly do you want to kill Deliora, Reiquay?" stood behind him, a glower obvious on his features, though only the bottom half of his face could be seen, was the masked man, Reitei himself.

"No answer?" Natsu said after a moment silence. He chuckled "Fair enough" he smirked, a dangerous smirk, a smirk that told you you were minutes away from being charred steak "Take me to Deliora's prison."

Underneath his helm Reitei blinked at the sudden topic change.

"You know, this thing you're trying to melt, take me to it" Reitei made no move, and Natsu only smiled "Plllleeeeeeeaaaaasssseeee?"

Turning on his heel the masked man didn't beckon, but Natsu followed anyway.

Reitei led him down, deep into the temple, past carvings so old the dust had made their features flat, rather than weather or wear, then out of the flat, though cracked and growing up weeds, stone of the temple altogether into natural caves of a water hewn nature. Natsu remained silent throughout, he wasn't going to ask questions when he wouldn't get a response, and Reitei was almost certainly not going to give him any response.

They stopped at the mouth of a cave that led into a much larger cavern, and Reitei turned to face him "We're here" he announced, but he didn't move out of the way, staying put his unseen eyes trained on Natsu.

Natsu grinned "Tell me, are you certain you can beat him? Deliora, I mean."

Reitei didn't respond.

"Huh?" Natsu honestly though he would respond to that "Ah well" Natsu grinned as a cold breeze blew past him, an icy cold breeze, growing colder and colder and colder, until… "Haha" Natsu laughed, and fire covered his form for a moment, and suddenly the cave was warm as a hot summer's day. He shook his head, still chuckling "If you're looking for a fight, Roitei, you'll have to search elsewhere. Unfortunately my job doesn't allow me to fight you, not yet at least" he grinned and stepped forwards "Ask again later" and with that he stepped past Reitei and into the grandiose cave.

It was pretty big, to say the least. Devilfire Keep could easily fit inside of it, twice over even, but the true immensity of the cave was lost due to what took up a good half of the space in it. A giant block of ice, tall as a watch tower, wider than many a building, in fact it was so humongous that it even made the thing inside of it seem minute in comparison.

The demon Deliora rested, or was trapped one or the other, inside of the ice, baring its teeth, though whether it had been purposefully doing so at the time of its freezing, or if its teeth were exposed at all times Natsu didn't know.

He approached the icy prison, picking his way through jagged rocks and sudden trenches, until he stood directly before the ice, Deliora towering above him.

But Natsu wasn't interested in that in, his gaze was fixed on the ice itself, the gentle imperfections, that jagged edges and cracks running through it, that made it all the more perfect. He ran his fingers over the ridges and bumps, gently, as if it was terribly fragile, and pulled his them back frozen cold, but not a droplet of water touched his hand.

He chuckled "I don't like you" he said, his voice wavering.

This magic, this ice, it was… scary. It truly scared him. There was something about it, awe inspiring and terrifying, it was magic on a level beyond anything he had ever witnessed before. The kind of power it would take to create something like this… it was suicidal. But it was worse still, there something else… something odd… something mournful, as if…

'_As if the ice itself is sad… but that's impossible. Ice doesn't… ice can't, feel' _he touched it again, placing the flat of his palm against the cold surface _'Unless…' _a frown marred his features _'Unless it's not ice… but it is, anyone could see that…' _he pulled his hand back and rubbed his hands together, trying to bring some warmth back to his fingertips. He cupped them and brought them to his mouth and blew out searing hot air "I really don't like you" he said again, turning and making his way back.

But at the entrance he faltered and paused, and instead choose a boulder nearby and sat on top of it. And he waited.

A day passed waiting, until the purple moon rose, and light beamed down upon the ice, and a single droplet of water made its way along the ridges, the bumps and the scrapes, of the ice.

Natsu shivered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A group of people stood, all in robes, chanting a foreign language, casting a spell that could twist the very light of the moon itself. The purple moonlight formed into a single beam, starkly bright against the black sky, which then shone down through the hole that pierced through the ruins all the way down to Deliora's prison in the caverns below.

Natsu emerged into the moonlight and felt immediately annoyed. Annoyed at how much better he felt out here than in there, with the ice block. Annoyed at… whatever it was he felt looking at the damn thing.

He ignored the others and found himself a boulder, and sat down, leaning back to bathe in the purple moonlight.

Natsu scowled. He hated the purple moon, he preferred the other one, the silver one, it was much prettier. This one was shit, a shitty moon. Stupid shitty moon.

He noticed out of the corner of his eye, and his ear as a matter of fact, Sherry, Yuka, Toby and Reitei come up to the roof to watch the ceremony take place.

"How long?" he heard Reitei ask, and grinned at the anticipation he could practically hear, not quite suppressed, in the masked man's voice.

"Today or tomorrow" Yuka answered concisely.

"WHICH IS IT?" Toby screamed, which everyone ignored.

"Today… or tomorrow…" Reitei repeated to himself, his fist clenched.

'_Today or tomorrow' _Natsu repeated mentally _'Then I can get the hell out of here…' he paused a second 'Wait a moment, getting the hell out of here, means… oh shit… this day and or tomorrow can't pass slowly enough. I don't wanna go on another boat.'_

If he was honest with himself, Natsu was just trying to distract himself, trying not to think of that ice block beneath his feet, trying not to think of the mournful glacier slowly melting away. He'd even take transport, his fated enemy, over _that_.

This job couldn't end quickly enough.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He woke suddenly, the setting sun stinging his eyes as they snapped open. A feeling washed over him, his sense ultra-alert, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, a shiver ran down his spine, and a smile twitched onto his face, and for the life of him Natsu didn't know why. His breathing was heavy, ragged, like he'd been running, like he'd been fighting, like something very fun had just happened, his fingers twitched, his toes wouldn't stay still, and his grin was now threatening to split his face in two.

It faded slowly, but never vanished, and Natsu was still uncertain what _it _was. But he lay back down on the rock he had claimed as his official napping spot and shut his eyes, contemplating catching a few more ZZZ's, but it was pointless, he would never get back to sleep, not after… whatever the hell that had been.

"Natsu-san" his eyes opening again after a few minutes of not sleeping to find Sherry standing over him, looking down "It's starting" she told him as the robed figures began gathering in a circle.

"I know" he told her "What, does Rabies need someone to hold his hand?"

"Reitei-sama didn't send me."

Natsu cocked an eyebrow at her, but she said nothing, she was distinctly not looking at him Natsu noticed "I see… well, thanks" he leapt to his feet and brushed himself off, before grinning "This fight is something I wanna watch."

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"FUUUUUCCKKK!" Natsu screamed, hands over his ears. He glared up at the half unfrozen Deliora, the source of the roar that had just burst his eardrums "You giant fucking bastard!" he shouted "You did on purpose, knowing that I have sensitive ears, didn't you? You fucking, ass wiping, shit brained fucker!"

Yuka raised an eyebrow, an impressive thing considering how heavy they must be, but turned as Sherry joined him and Toby, watching the ice melt away from Deliora's form.

"Come on then, prick, bring it!" Natsu continued "Oh that's right, you can't can you, you're still stuck in ice, well fuck you then. HA-HA-HAHA-HA!"

"Salamander" Reitei called, turning to look at the man shouting behind him "You won't interfere."

It was more of a statement than a question, but Natsu answered anyway "No, my orders are to watch you fight" Natsu told him, checking with his pinkie that his ears weren't bleeding.

Reitei frowned. Where had that man from earlier, that man who exuded confidence and power, radiated it like fire radiates heat, gone? Left in his place was someone as threatening as a puppy growling at a much larger fiercer dog _'But if the bigger dog makes to bite, what then?' _he shook his head. It wasn't the time for musing and strange dog related metaphors, and that was more Toby's department anyway. No, now was the time for mental preparation, gathering up his magic, running through his skills, planning the battle, nothing should exist in his thoughts beyond this battle.

"Hey, Rayquaza" Reitei twitched, both at the mispronunciation, in fact total incorrectness, of his name and at the interruption "I was wondering, why was Deliora frozen? And who froze him for that matter?"

Reitei turned to Salamander, beneath his helm his eyes glowered with freezing intensity "That… is none of your concern."

"No" Natsu agreed, grinning cheerily "But I'm interested."

"Tch" he turned away.

Natsu stuck out his tongue in response to Reitei's scoff.

The ice was melting thick and fast now, water ran in rivulets down the ridges in the ice, and cracks began appearing where the demons legs strained against the frozen water. Reitei's eyes never moved from the demon, his fingers drummed a bruise into his thigh as the tap, tap, tapped the seconds away. The anticipation was dripping off of him, like the ice turned water was dripping away from Deliora.

"You lot" Reitei shouted, startling Sherry and Toby "Leave" he said nothing more, his eyes never left Deliora, but they obeyed all the same moving swiftly to the entrance. Sherry looked back as they reached the exit, her eyes landed on Natsu, stood right beside Reitei. The order had applied to him, of that much she was certain, obeying it was up to him however and Natsu had chosen not to.

Natsu glanced at the man stood next to him, Reitei paid him no mind, in fact Natsu was more than certain that the masked man hadn't even realised that Natsu was still stood here. He turned his own gaze back to the melting ice and Deliora, it was almost entirely gone now, Deliora was almost free, just a few moments more and…

Another roar, Natsu's hair shifted under the breeze that noise created, but that didn't matter, the roar didn't matter, very little mattered actually, because Deliora was free.

"Finally…" he glanced at Reitei stood beside him, the man's hands were shaking but it was not fear that moved them "Finally… Finally… FINALLY!"

Natsu ignored him and knelt down on the boulder they stood upon, reaching down to the water that lapped at its edges but didn't quite reach the centre. He cupped his palm and lifted a handful, seeing himself reflected in the clear liquid, before he let it splash back down with the rest and stood tall.

"I will defeat you Deliora" Reitei announced "I will defeat you and finally… finally I…"

Deliora look at him with hollow, lifeless eyes, it roared a final time and raised its mighty, muscular arm…

It trembled.

"Huh?" Reitei blinked.

Its arms snapped, as if the demon were made of stone, more cracks appeared across its body as its arm landed with a crushing thud and was reduced to rubble. Down its arm they spread, across its chest, over its face, until the whole body of the demon was riddled with them, bits fell away, then the whole thing shattered.

"What?"

Its legs crumbled, its other arm broke away, its face split in two, its whole form broke apart and crumbled away, until all that was left was rubble.

"What?" Reitei asked again.

"It's over" Natsu said, no glee, no joke, not even a threat in his voice. He sounded sad, and Natsu hated that, he hated sounding sad, he hated feeling sad, and he hated sad things.

"You" Reitei glared "Was it you?!"

"For ten years" Natsu said calmly, as if every pore of Reitei's body wasn't threatening him "Deliora was trapped in ice, for ten years…" he turned to look Reitei in the eyes "Deliora was dead a long time ago."

"That is…" his hands shook "How am I supposed to…" his knees shook "This isn't…" his entire body trembled. Until a fist took the side of his face, and sent him careening into the water, slamming heavily against a boulder.

"Well then Reitei" Natsu grinned darkly, flames burning about his person "Let's start that fight I promised you."

He growled and stood. It was him, it must be him, everything had started going wrong after Salamander arrived, it had to be his fault "Ice Make EAGLE!" they formed perfect and flawless from his single palm, coloured the turquoise colour that defined his ice magic from the rest.

The birds raced towards Natsu, their speed and sharp beaks would cause some serious injury if they hit.

All that hit Natsu was water.

'_He… melted it?' _Reitei stared in disbelief _'He melted _my _ice?' _with a scowl he readied himself for further combat. He had forgotten that this was the man who had shattered his ice with fist and fire, caught off guard due to the imbecile Natsu appeared to be, and quite possibly was as well. He wouldn't forget twice.

"Ice Make Snow Dragon" it emerged serpentine and beautiful, its mouth wide to bite down upon any foe.

Natsu looked at as it approached, then scowled.

His fist shattered the ice, it travelled all the way through, water melting and ice breaking, until he finally stopped, knuckles inches from Reitei's face, the 'dragon' left as scraps of ice behind him. He glared darkly "Not dragon" he said "Call it serpent, call it whatever, but not dragon. _That_" he waved his hand, gesturing at the few icy fragments that remained "is nowhere near powerful enough to claim 'dragon' as its name" then he smiled a cheerful grin "Well, continue away."

Reitei growled and roared "ICE MAKE APE!" he gathered his magic, raised his hand and… nothing.

'_What…' _he blinked, his breath coming out ragged _'What? Why can't I…' _a bead of sweat ran down his neck_ 'No… that's not possible…' _another soon joined it, his head started to feel woozy, his vision swam_ 'That can't be…' _each lungful was agony, searing hot agony _'He's made it so hot I can't create ice, I can't freeze anything, because it's so hot.'_

"You know" Natsu said musingly "Alastor, I think it was, once told me that the reason why Moulding Make magic users use both hands is stability. The creations made with one hand are less stable, less powerful."

A memory assault him and Reitei winced_ "What have I told you about using one hand?!"_

Natsu didn't care and continued "Me though" a flame flicked into life in his palm "My magic is so unstable that stability is the least of my worries, and two hands don't help. Unstable and unstable does not make stable… So… shall we see what happens when I use both hands?" he grinned and raised his hands "A burning right hand" flames burst into life around his right hand just as it closed into a fist "And a burning left hand" flames appeared around his left hand now, and his face and his grin was lit by fire twisting it into something monstrous "When you bring the flames together…" his burning fists slammed against each other "FIRE DRAGON'S BRILLIANT FLAME!"

The explosion picked him up like a rag doll, the boulder that had been behind him was shattered, and if it weren't for the fact that he was an mage, Reitei knew he'd have died, hell if he hadn't been an exceptionally powerful and durable mage he would've died.

He landed in the water, swallowing some down in his panic, and rose to the surface choking and gasping for breath.

When Reitei finally looked up he found Natsu stood just a few feet away, casual as you please, no pity, no mercy, very little expression at all on his face "You know" Natsu said calmly "I thought you'd be more than this."

Anger burned within him, while the rest of him burned from the heat Natsu radiated, and Reitei forced himself to his feet _"Both hands are necessary for stability…"_ he brought his hands together _"… otherwise your creation will lack power at crucial moments" _both of them _"Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should"_ and gathered up all of his magic _"Okay, Lyon"_ "Ice Make" their eyes met "WOLF!"

Reitei didn't wait a moment, he charged, fist outstretched, ice in the form of a wolfs head forming a protective and offensive gauntlet around his right hand.

Fire gathered around Natsu's fist and he met the blow with a grin.

Ice and fire clashed, Reitei poured all of his magic into maintaining the ice against the torrent of flames and the heat, Natsu just grinned some more.

The ice shattered, their fists touched, the others knuckles slamming into the gaps in between their knuckles and for a moment time seemed to still, Natsu still grinned, Reitei still scowled, and their fists pressed against each other, struggling for dominance.

Then the moment ended and Reitei was sent flying back like a ball out of a cannon for the third time.

He slammed into a boulder, smashing his head against the rock, something warm trickled down his neck and he knew it was blood, knew that that was bad, but was so disoriented that he couldn't care less.

He heard the sound of footsteps through the water, and sat up slightly, his legs sprawled out in front of him, submerged in the water, his shoulders and head leaning against the boulder. It was lucky he had laded this way, otherwise he'd be breathing in water right this moment, and be too stupefied to know not to.

Natsu stepped calming through the water and the rocks towards where Reitei lay, his helm had been knocked off as he flew, revealing the face that lay beneath. His had bluish silver hair, most of it spiked upwards save a few spikes that hung over the upper left half of his face. He had slanted eyes, and dark irises "Well now…" the fight had left him Natsu could see that much. Reitei was beaten. He placed his foot in the centre of the man's chest, pressing down. The water that covered his foot and Reitei's chest boiled and steam rose "…Reitei" Reitei almost blinked, that was the first time Natsu had gotten his name right "Let's have a little chat."

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Erza panted as she stared up at where the light had once been. It had vanished all of a sudden, and while she knew the direction now, if she lost it she'd never find it again, and in this darkness losing it would be all too easy.

'_There's no rush' _she told herself _'Take your time' _so why it she felt like there was a rush? Like she needed to be there, wherever there was, right now?

She glared in the direction the light had been, and started moving again, forcing herself to take a steady pace. Whatever was going on there, wherever there was, rushing in was foolish.

Erza bit her lip.

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"My name is Lyon Vastia" Lyon confessed from the water. Natsu sat on a boulder a few paces away, watching him silently "When I was young I sought out a mage, named Ur. She took me in, treated me as her own, and taught me her magic" why was he telling Salamander this? Lyon wasn't that sure. Was it the threat Natsu posed to him? Was it fear? Or did he just want to tell someone, whoever it was, the things, the thoughts and feelings he had suppressed for all of ten years? "One day we passed through a town that had been destroyed by Deliora. There, in the ruins, we found him… Gray" even now, after everything, saying that name still brought some heat to his voice, some anger.

Natsu said nothing.

"Gray Fullbuster. At first, I hated him, felt like I was being replaced, but things changed, I helped him, gave him hints, we trained together, ate together, bathed together, lived together, it was like… like we were a family. He became… he became a brother to me. But… Gray wasn't happy with his training, felt he was moving too slowly, wanted immediate strength…" he chuckled "But I guess I was the same" Lyon shook his head "Gray left, he chased after Deliora, me and Ur followed."

His next breathed left raggedly "Ur died fighting Deliora… No, that's wrong" his eyes felt watery "Ur froze Deliora, she turned herself into ice, using a spell called Iced Shell. It turns the user's body into an eternal ice… Ur was never dead… she was…" a tear slid down his cheek "She was the ice."

And Lyon had destroyed it. He had melted the ice, to free Deliora. The act he had always blamed Gray for, even when he tried to tell himself that he didn't, that he no longer cared, was now his alone to bear. He, Lyon Vastia, had killed Ur.

He let out a choked sob, but forced himself to continue "Ur was my ambition, to surpass her, to become stronger than her. I wanted to be the strongest" tears ran down his face like the melt water had flowed down the ice "And she was the strongest I knew. When she died… I had nothing, so I clung to what she was unable to do. To kill Deliora, if I could do that, then I would've surpassed Ur, then I would've proven I was stronger" the tears stopped, and all Lyon felt was numb "And now I can't even do that, now I've killed Ur, I can't ever surpass her."

No expression tainted Natsu's face, whether he felt nothing or wasn't showing anything Lyon didn't know.

"Iced Shell… I tried to use it, not knowing what its cost was… Ur stopped me, save me, then used it herself" he forced himself to sit up, then stand up, but sat quickly down feeling the instability in his legs, but he sat on the rock behind him rather than in the water "I don't know…" he murmured "I don't know what to do anymore."

Natsu sighed "You know something Liam" Lyon didn't even twitched at his name being said wrong, he just looked up at Natsu "I really hate sad stories, they make me feel sad. Seriously, why can't people have had a nice happy life before I kill them?" he said pouting at his knees.

"Does that mean…" Natsu looked up, Lyon was staring at him blankly "…you're going to kill me?"

A small smile touched his lips "I guess I did imply it, huh?" he leant forwards "Tell me Lion, would you like me to?"

"I…" Lyon spoke a word, but he had no idea what came after.

Natsu stood and walked, each footstep was like an earthquake, the soft ripples seemed like tidal waves, and when Lyon looked up, when Natsu stood right before him, he didn't see the pink haired idiot, he saw the face of a dragon, and he felt terrified.

Natsu chuckled, and it faded away "You know something Leon, I really hate sad stories" Lyon frowned, was he repeating himself "They make me feel sad. But… but I don't necessarily hate the people who tell sad stories" his smile faded "You killed Ur?"

It struck Lyon like a knife "Yes" he whispered "Yes" it was no longer a whisper "I killed her. I murdered my mentor, my beloved teacher, I" the tears came back, his whole body shook with grief and self-loathing "I…" his breathing was ragged "killed…" each word stabbed the knife deeper "Ur."

As Lyon broke down in front of him, as his tears turned to sobs turned to wails, Natsu couldn't feel annoyed, he couldn't feel angry, he couldn't feel some sadistic pleasure or glee at watching the man cry.

All Natsu felt was something he hated beyond everything else.

Pity.

'_Why? Why do I pity him? I hate pitying people? I especially hate people who pity me? I really fucking hate PITY!' _his teeth clenched, and the heat grew more intense as Natsu anger rose.

And suddenly he was no longer stood here, in the cavern, with the ruined remains of Deliora and the broken Lyon.

He was…

_There was a boy, he was shirtless, wearing only a pair of ragged pants and scaled white scarf, and he was crying. He was on his knees, crying in the dirt. Around him corpses were aflame with golden fire, but they didn't matter, he wasn't crying over them, they meant nothing to him, their screams meant nothing to him. But it hurt, it hurt so much._

_A hand landed gently on his head, and ruffled his spiky pink hair. Looking up, the boy found himself staring into grey eyes, an even grey, the perfect balance between black and white._

Natsu blinked, Lyon looked up. When had he placed his hand on Lyon's head? Natsu truly had no idea, he had made no conscious decision to that end but it had happened anyway. A smile touched his lips, and he slowly ruffled the silver locks.

"You sought power, that's why you sought… Ul, was it? You wanted to be the strongest, why?"

Lyon frowned "I… I can't even remember."

"I see" more of the smile spread onto his face "Then what's your purpose in life?"

"It was to surpass Ur… now… I don't have one… my life its worthless, utterly worthless" Lyon looked Natsu in the eye "What's your purpose, Natsu?"

"The purpose of my life" Natsu frowned "Never really thought about it to be honest. But I guess" he grinned "it's to enjoy it. That's the purpose of my life, is for me to enjoy it. But" his smile faded, replaced by a dead expression, dead or deadly maybe "if you're life really is worthless, utterly worthless, of no value or meaning TO ANYONE" his shouted made Lyon flinched, but his next words were whispers, and cut even deeper "then why bother living at all."

Lyon shook, he was scared, he had no purpose in life but he was scared, perhaps he was scared because he had no purpose, perhaps he was scared of Salamander, perhaps he was just scared for the sake of being scared. Natsu's eyes seemed to bore into him, right down into his core, into the icy depths of his existence, and they melted away everything. Natsu, he understood, could melt him in a second. He was a piece of ice, and Natsu was fire.

"REITEI-SAMA!"

He blinked, Natsu stepped back, and Lyon found them, all of them, Sherry, Yuka, Toby and all the others, rushing towards him.

"Reitei-sama" Sherry was the first by his side, a blush on her cheeks, a smile on her face "You did it, you defeated him!"

Lyon blinked "What?"

"You killed Deliora!" a cry went up.

"No…" but his words were lost under thanks, under praise, under tearful but joyous smiles, his words were nothing before the gratitude of a hundred people whose long lost relatives could at last be laid to rest, the shadow that had hung over them had cleared.

"I'm thinking" Natsu whispered, but Lyon heard every word, even though he stood a few paces away and whispered quiet enough for no one around them to hear "your life might not be so worthless after all" _'And' _he kept this part to himself _'I have no orders regarding his victory, so its left to my discretion, and what does my discretion say? My discretion says 'What the hell does discretion mean?' Okay then, its decided' _"Reitei Lyon" he said, his voice sounding above them all, and suddenly everyone was silent, silent and afraid "Nice meeting you" he grinned cheerfully "Now… I MUST AWAY!" his arms raised at his sides like wings, Natsu ran full pelt out of the cavern.

Blinking at the rather odd display Lyon looked around, he saw the people, saw their gratitude, saw his value in other people's eyes. And he couldn't agree, at all. He wasn't worth even half of what they thought he was, not even a millionth. But… _'But worth is all about perspective, I suppose, and, Salamander Natsu, for some reason you saw something worth letting me live in me. I wonder what it was?' _whatever it was, Lyon doubted he would ever know. But he was smiling all the same.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Outside the temple, Natsu pulled to a halt.

His hand was shaking.

'_It's been a while, since I thought of that… years actually…' _he was sure of how long exactly it had been, since the day he thought of that day, the day he joined Heaven Defiled _'Heaven Defiled' _he snorted _'what a stupid name' _his amusement faded_ 'I think… I think I said the same thing back then as well' _he sighed, and looked upwards at the purple moon "I hate the purple moon" he mumbled.

He raised his hand, curling all but his index finger and thumb, stretching the both of them out.

Then he pretended a recoil for his finger gun "Bang, bang, I shot you down…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

An explosion rocked the sky. Flames burned, seemingly scorching the moon itself. Then, as the fire faded, leaving first smoke, then clear sky in its place, a ray of silver moonlight beamed down, through a crack in the sky itself. The sky shattered into a thousand purple shards, like glass. Then fell to the earth but faded before they ever reached the ground.

Erza didn't care about that any more, she cared about very little in fact, because she knew those flames, they had burned her before. They were…

"Salamander."

They were his flames.

She requipped into her Flight Armour, her fastest armour, and shot off at incredible speed. This was no longer the time for patience.

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"So, what do you think?" Ultear asked the teal orb hovering at her side.

"Interesting, to say the least" said a voice coming from the orb "I was expecting more rampart destruction I must confess… but… I think he'll do nicely."

"Then I'll make the preparations, and as soon as we're ready…"

Laughter cut her off "It's exciting, don't you think. He didn't fulfil my expectations at all…" more laughter "Yes! Yes, this is brilliant, he'll be perfect, the perfect piece for my little game, a piece whose actions are anybody's guess, wonderful!"

Ultear smirked.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Erza walked down the streets of Magnolia, ignoring the pointing and staring, it wasn't anything she wasn't used to. She wasn't exactly in a good mood.

All through the night she had searched, first the temple, then the surrounding lands, then the entire island. And she had found neither hide nor hair of Salamander. She had failed.

Her fists clenched, her hairs whipped back and forth, her teeth ground against one another, and she sighed. Getting angry was pointless, he was gone and there was nothing she could do about it. But he had been there, of that she was certain, there was no way she would have mistaken those flames, no way in the burning depths of hell.

The temple had been empty, there were signs of habitation, yes, recent signs, but she hadn't spent too long searching there _'Maybe I should've, maybe I missed him, maybe he was there, maybe…' _she sighed a second time. It was over, there was no use contemplating maybe's.

Everything else had gone pretty much as she expected. The islanders were not in fact humans, but actually demons, which explained why none who left the island ever came back, a noticeable theme in the stories told to her that she had… noticed, but also why they couldn't approached the temple, demons could never approach a sacred or holy place. The purple moonlight had affected their memories, not their physiology.

Those whom they had 'killed' weren't actually dead, as the sort of injury they had inflicted would never kill a demon, and so they would now make efforts to find them. Erza had refused the several million Jewel reward, on the count that she hadn't actually done anything.

But…

"_I would feel bad if you came all this way for nothing, Erza-san."_

She had been forced to take the Gate Key also offered in the reward. Or rather she had chosen to take that. Lucy would be happy at least, that was some good come out of the whole thing.

Erza stopped outside the guild, or rather she halted, she froze stiff in fact.

"What… WHAT THE HELL?!"

Her guild, a place full of her memories, of her childhood, of her adolescence, of her life, a place she valued more than her room at Fairy Hill's, more than any armour she had, a place that was always a welcome sight, was stabbed through by seven huge iron bars.

"Ah, Erza, you're back" Mirajane said, appearing from inside the guild.

"Mira, what?" Erza looked up at the ruined guild again before looking down to Mira, a thousand questions, and anger above all of that, burning in her eyes. Any and all thoughts of Salamander, of failure, of anything else, were thrown out of the window.

There was no smile on Mirajane's face as she brushed a strand of hair from her face "It was probably them… Phantom Lord."

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"I think I'm gonna die" Natsu moaned.

"I'd rather you didn't" Ultear told him, dragging him over to a tree bordering the beach they had landed on. Ultear was not a naval navigator and so the likelihood of her managing to get them back to Hargeon was one in a million, this one was not that one, and they ended up… somewhere.

"Fuck you, you're the one who put me on that fucking thing, FUCK!"

Ultear smirked "Oh? Is fucking so on your mind Salamander? Well, you are a healthy young man, and have spent quite some time in the presence of a beautiful young woman, so there's every reason for you to…"

Salamander puking into the sand cut her short.

Ultear sighed, the smirked again "So, Salamander, want me to nurse you back to health?"

Natsu glared weakly "Bite me."

She blinked "Well, if you insist" she bent down and bit him on the cheek.

Salamander blinked as warm blood dripped down his chin "You know, I didn't actually mean bite me."

"Oh?" Ultear blinked a second time "In that case consider it a goodbye kiss."

"Fuck off already!"

She giggled and disappeared amongst the trees.

Natsu moaned and looked up at the sky "Probably shouldn't sleep like this" he muttered "If I puke again I might suffocate on it… oh well."

Luckily for him, everything else had sort of worked out. Ultear had told him that _"Deliora was revived, neither of us knew that he was already dead, so you fulfilled your end of the bargain, therefore we must fulfil ours. It would look bad for our evil dark guild otherwise" _so the payment would be delivered in due course, even though things hadn't gone to Ultear's plan.

"I think I'll just have a quiet nap" he decided "Just to recover my stenibugh…" he fell asleep halfway through.

Luckily Natsu didn't choke on his puke during his sleep and woke up the next day alive and… well alive.

* * *

Hello. Yeah, I'm sort of back, I'm posting a chapter at least. Haven't got the next one ready, haven't proof read through this one properly, but I'm posting it anyway, though if I get too many complaints about spelling/grammar/whatever-the-hell-the-problem-is, then I'll edit it properly and repost it, but for now I'm satisfied with this chapter.

Just so you know, this chapter was agony. The wait maybe have been painstakingly boring for you, but writing the damn this was pain, stake, boredom, whip, knife, axe and hatchet for me. On the other hand I started an entirely new fic, in an entirely different archive, and wrote forty thousand words for it, in the interim between this chapter and the last. I think I deserve some praise for that. But I haven't uploaded that fic, and won't until I've got everything to my satisfaction, have a nice backlog of chapters, and know most of the plot/backstory/other stuff, so I guess I won't get any praise for a while.

Anyway, enjoy yourself, god knows I didn't.

Toodles.


	9. Phantom of a Dragon

**Chapter 9: Phantom of a Dragon.**

"Here."

Lucy blinked as Erza handed her something.

They were all in her apartment as, according to Erza, Master had decided it was best to stick together after the guild was attacked so openly, and of course it was her place they all decided to crash at, 'all' being Erza and Gray. And now here they were, drinking her tea, sitting around in her apartment, having rummaged through her stuff, Gray was even relaxed enough to start stripping much to Lucy's embarrassment, and both of them looked totally at home in her, stress _her_, apartment.

She looked down and found a shiny golden key resting in her palm "T-this is…" the marker on the keys handle was of an arrow, with a cross line near the arrows feathered tail "Sagittarius? The Gate Key of the Archer?"

"Oh, it has a name? I didn't realise" Erza smiled at Lucy's excitement.

"Yeah!" Lucy exclaimed "It's one of the Golden Gate Key's, there're only twelve of them. They're really rare…" she blinked "But…" Lucy looked up at Erza, then down at the key in her hand, comprehension sidling onto her face "Erza, I can't accept this, do you realise how valuable they are?"

Erza shook her head "It was the reward for the request, but I don't have a use for it, so consider it a gift."

"B-but…" Erza reached over and took Lucy's hand, closing her fingers around the cool metal of the key. Lucy felt a smile brighten her face and tears come to her eyes "T-thank you, Erza" she had never felt this warm inside before, was this what true friendship and camaraderie felt like?

"So how did your job go?" Gray asked, sipping at his tea before wincing at the hot liquid and using a bit of magic to make it into iced tea. It was then that he realised Erza still hadn't answered and looked over, and wished he hadn't.

Her eyes were shadowed over and glowing red, her hair whipped magic back and forth and was rising upwards in a non-existent up draft, and her facial muscles strained through her skin. Her mug shattered in her hand.

"M-my teacup" Lucy whimpered, unable to confess the fears she held for her own life in that moment lest they become real.

"S-so Lucy" Gray said quickly trying to avert disaster "buy any new underwear recently?!"

"Y-yeah" Lucy said, then blinked "P-PERVERT! What the hell are you asking?!"

Erza glared down at her armoured hand, unaware and genuinely uninterested in Lucy and Gray's minor argument. The boiling hot tea seared her fingers, a searing that reminded her painfully of Salamander. Despite everything that had happened, despite her guild being attacked and nearly destroyed, he still occupied her thoughts.

He was like a nasty rash, an itch that only got worse whenever you scratched it. Salamander being so close was as good a scratch as any, and now the itch was downright unbearable.

Erza's balled fist clenched shut even tighter still, reducing what remained of the mug to dust.

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Sat on a beautiful beach, bordered by bountiful forest, with the waves lapping gently at white sands, and a cool but not cold breeze ruffling the trees and his hair, Natsu was well and truly lost.

He had just woken up, and realised, upon waking, that he had no idea where he was "Well that sucks" he said casually, scratching his head "Ah well" he put a bright grin on things, which was a bad idea as his cheek stung painfully as the muscles pulled his skin "Ow!" he placed a palm against the sting, feeling dried blood and the slight bump of scab and wound, in the shape of teeth "She had to bite me, didn't she? I mean I did tell her too… but still!"

Dragging himself to his feet Natsu took a long look around.

"Nope, still no idea where I am… well I guess I'll stumble across something at some point, so the question really becomes 'Which way do I go?'" he looked left, then right, then up "Only one way to decide I guess."

Kicking with his left leg, he stood solely on his right, his arm held aloft and pointing outwards, and spun.

When he stopped, his arm pointing in… a direction "And that's the way I'll go" he said nodding confidently "Whichever way that is... CHARGE!" he slowly pulled to stop from his run, barely sprinting a few yards and looked back at the sea "I…" he sighed "I hope you find you reason, Lyon" a small smile graced his face "I find you without a purpose, broken and pathetic, again, annoyance just might outweigh pity… don't annoy me, Lyon…" a breeze blew past "You know I think I might've liked Lyon, maybe I should've invited him to join Torched Heaven…" he chuckled "nah, Mr Freeze would've melted in seconds" he looked back again, and offered Lyon Vastia a final wave, a wave he would never see, before he turned forwards again, facing the world… well the forest at least "Now, CHARGE!"

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Brown eyes slowly opened "Hrm?" she looked around "Eh?" she looked about some more, her eyes wider and no longer sleepy "EH?!" Lucy was somewhere she had never seen before and, upon trying, found her wrists bound behind her back "W-WHAT IS THIS?! WHERE AM I?!" cobwebs, rubble, and old stone room met her eyes.

"Oh, are you awake, Lucy Heartfilia?"

She turned sharply, finding an iron door with a barred window at head height behind her, a man was looking in, and in the shadows it was not someone she recognised "Who is that?!"

The door swung open, admitting a man into her, she now realised, cell. Despite everything she could help but blink at his outfit. He wore a pointed hat, the point bent and hanging down on Jose's left, and a large high collared coat, sporting a jagged mantle and rim, which also featured two wings similar to a bat. Around his neck was a medallion, and he wore knee length socks over his pants, as well as pointed shoes with little furry balls on the points.

His face was still unfamiliar to her, he had long dark hair and a thin moustache, as well as dark lips twisted into a creepy smile.

"I am Phantom Lord's Guild Master" he told her "Jose Porla."

"Phantom!" it was all coming back to her now _'That's right, I was captured by the Element Four… but…'_

"I apologise for tying you up and putting you in this filthy cell" he looked around distastefully, his smile returning when his gaze returned to Lucy "but please understand you are still a captive."

"UNTIE ME RIGHT NOW!" she screamed. Jose winced as her shout stung at his eardrums "Who's a captive?! How dare you do all that to Levy-chan and the others!" in Magnolia's hospital Jet and Droy groaned in their sleep, somehow knowing they had been glossed over in favour of their younger, far more attractive, much more friendly and far much nicer teammate.

"Depending on your attitude" Jose continued, as if she hadn't just blurted out accusations, as if she hadn't spoken at all "We might treat you as a VIP instead of a captive."

"What?" Lucy glared at him. Her skin crawled, or rather something crawled on it, and she looked down to find a centipede creeping up her leg "HYAAAAAH!" she screamed, kicking violently until it was dislodged.

"See?" Jose said, never losing his creepy smile "You really don't want to stay in this cell. If you behave we will move you into a suite room."

"Why… why did you attack us?" Lucy demanded _'I heard they aren't on good terms with Fairy Tail, but…'_

"'Us'?" he raised an eyebrow "Ah" he realised "You mean Fairy Tail?" his smile turned cruel but no less creepy "That was an extra. Just an extra."

Lucy stared, what was he talking about? An extra? How was essentially declaring war on another guild an extra.

"Our true objective" he continued "was to get a hold of a 'certain individual'. That 'certain individual' happened to belong to Fairy Tail so, we thought, why not kill two birds with one stone."

"A certain individual?"

Jose sneered "You're so slow I can't believe you're a daughter of the Heartfilia Family" his foot slammed down, crushing the centipede which had been scurrying away from Lucy "Who else could it be? Daughter of the Heartfilia Conglomerate, Lucy Heartfilia."

Lucy winced _'How does he know about that?' _she put that question to him.

"I heard… you were hiding you social standing in the guild. I don't know why the daughter of one of them richest men in the country undertakes such cheap and dangerous jobs, but…"

"So then… You kidnapped me?"

"No, no, please, don't be absurd" Jose's expression couldn't be seen for his hat tipped and covered his eyes from view "It was none other than your father who requested we get you."

Lucy felt a lump in her chest, fear washed over her. Why was it, despite everything that had happened since that day, why was it she was still so afraid of him! "No…" she muttered "Lies… why would he…"

"Isn't it normal, if a daughter runs away from home, people search for her" Jose said, only his smile visible.

"He wouldn't" Lucy declared, he had never cared before "He would never bother with something like that" he would never bother with something like her, she had always been just a pest to him, a nuisance, there was no way he'd want her back, and even if he did… "I won't go back. I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO SUCH A PLACE!"

Jose sighed "My, my, what a troublesome young lady."

"Release me at once" Lucy demanded.

"I cannot do that."

"But…" Lucy half glared at him, and bit her lip, then blushed and looked away "I need to use the bathroom."

"Such an obvious excuse, isn't it?"

"No I mean it" Lucy said, her face strained "I can't hold it."

Jose smiled "Go ahead" a bucket clanked to the floor, Lucy stared shocked and appalled "Ho, ho, ho, it's so obvious that you won't catch us off guard. So go ahead, young lady, use the bathroom all you need."

"A bucket… huh?" Lucy said, standing over the bucket and searching with her thumbs for the line of her panties.

"YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO IT?!" his eyes bugged out of his skull. She didn't stop though and so, as Jose started sweating, feeling more and more embarrassed by the second, he finally turned away "What a shameless young lady, be thankful I'm such a gentleman."

Lucy grinned, and swung with her foot, catching him right between the legs _'The family jewels, it never fails' _she thought as he fell "Such an obvious strategy, huh? Well it isn't so bad after all" _'Maybe I'll use it in my novel next time? Better than using it in real life' _she hadn't been looking forward to actually 'going' while Jose was watching "Well" she gave him a smile "See you, not!"

And with that she rushed to the exit, and immediately stopped short, a breeze blowing through her hair, and lifting up her skirt for a few moments there.

Behind her Jose chuckled, but his voice was strained "You don't think I kept you somewhere insecure do you?" he asked grinning into the dirt though she couldn't see it "This is our sky prison" he slowly stood, despite the pain "How dare you do that to me?" he could still feel it in fact. Jose wondered if he'd be able to use magic like this, it was very unlikely.

Lucy stared out at the drop, then faced back inside where Jose was approaching, but for a moment she didn't see him, she saw her father, cold and cruel as ever. The drop looked more appealing after that.

"Now, come here, its punishment time. I have to teach you the terror of the Phantom."

She glared, then gulped, and finally leaned back.

"WHHHHHAAAAAA!"

Jose screams reached her as she plummeted _'I saw them, just for a moment, I saw them' _she had to hope she had, because it not then… that didn't bare thinking about. They had been close, they'd be closer still now, and with any luck they were searching for her "CANA" she screamed "GRAY!"

Suddenly she was no longer falling, instead she was sliding, and Lucy opened her eyes to find herself on an ice slide that slowly evened out, with Gray knelt at the bottom, hand pressed against the ice, and Cana just behind him.

A smile brightened her face, but then it faded when they didn't move "MOVE!" she screamed, but it was too late and she slammed into them at speed.

"Ouph" "OW!" "Shit" "WAAH" "Kyaa!" "Dammit" after all of that they finally came to ungraceful stop… by slamming into a wall.

Lucy found something to push on and pushed herself up, then blinked as what she was pushing on was certainly not dirt.

Cana blinked, looked down at Lucy's hands, then up at the girl herself, a blush was burning on the blondes features "You know" Cana commented as Lucy's fingers dug into the soft flesh of her barely covered breasts "If you wanted a feel you could've just asked."

"KYAAA!" Lucy screamed, letting go.

Cana just chuckled "So where's Gray got to?"

"Mmmf mmver mmmere" she heard coming from below, but not below her, below Lucy. Specifically right in between Lucy's legs. More specifically right in between Lucy's legs, with his head covered by her skirt.

Lucy's face had been red before, but it had nothing on the bright crimson colour it was at this moment.

There was a long scream, then a sharp slap.

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Natsu pondered many things as he wandered, lost, alone, hungry and confused. He pondered life, the meaning of it all. He pondered the daily struggle of living and why we even bother. He pondered over the misery of the human condition, over the idiocy of men in power, over the stubbornness of cultures to not let go of outdated ideals, over the stupidity of cultures for thinking what they believe to be right is right, and many deep and meaningful topics.

But one thing raged above it all, his tummy that is, rumbling like a volcano, begging for food.

A long scream sounded off to his left and then a sharp slap, and Natsu wondered what was going on over there, but he didn't go and see. That was unusual for him, screaming generally attracted his attention, and brought about glee in him, but not this time, this time he just couldn't bring himself to care enough.

So, keeping his gaze firmly forwards, Natsu walked.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I am going to eat, Lots of tasty treats, Cause my tummy, Is a rumbly, And I need some-y, Apple crumbly, dado, do… do…" he sighed. Natsu had been hoping that singing would take his mind off of his stomach trying to eat itself, it hadn't, if anything it had made it worse "I'm so hungry" he whined, tears in his eyes "If I don't make it to somewhere that has food soon, I'm gonna die, or at least kill something and eat it... but currently there's only trees and trees aren't tasty at all, and they aren't nutritious, and they irritate my stomach… but I guess any food is good food" he look at the trees, the barked wood looking more appetising by the second "Maybe I could cook it? Everything tastes better on fire… but I can't eat my own fire… I wonder why I can't? I mean, have I ever tried, or is it just one of those things you know not to do, like jumping off a cliff… though I suppose the people who do jump off of cliffs don't know not to do that afterwards anyway… cause they're dead. Is that what it is? Would it kill me? Did Igneel tell me not to? Argh" he pulled at his hair "I don't remember!"

He emerged from the trees suddenly into open sunlight, and blinked, his clenched fingers releasing strands of pink hair.

"Maybe I should look where I'm going in future?" Natsu wondered as he looked about at the town sprawled in front of him "I mean, I did cross those mountains back there to get into those woods, and yet I didn't see the town at all" he scratched his head "Sometimes I think I might really be an idiot… but I forget about it soon afterwards. Anyway!" he bounced on his heels, forgetting whatever he had just been doing/saying/thinking/whatever-ing "This is a town, so it'll have food" he giggled with glee "FOOD!"

The town, its names completely unknown to Natsu, barely knew what hit it as Torched Heaven's Salamander charged down its main street, his stomach roaring with hunger.

Four restaurants eaten clean out of stock later, the waiter only escaped cause he was fast on his feet, Natsu felt mostly satisfied, all he needed now were a few snacks and he'd be back on the road to Devilfire Keep, and soon off of the road and into the wilderness and completely lost, again.

He chose to get his snacks in a nice little, off the beaten track type, bakery that had caught his eye, it might've been a patisserie he could never tell the difference, and as he was choosing sixteen different snacks to purchase/eat the man behind the counter spoke.

"You're a mage, right kid?"

Natsu blinked and looked at the man. He didn't look like much, didn't smell like much, besides a baker, nothing about him suggested the ability to perceive that he, Natsu, was a mage "Yeah" he responded cautiously "At least I think I am" he scratched his head confusedly, quickly forgetting about caution "Charmain told me I am, and I gotta trust Charmain. He's the type of guy you just gotta trust, he's not the trustable type though, he has more daggers at your back than anyone else you know, but he won't use them most of the time, cause there's no reason too. To be honest, I think Charmain's the type of bloke who'd tell you if he was going to kill you, if you asked that is. I once asked him if he was going to kill me, he told me 'I have no immediate plans regarding your death'…" Natsu frowned "Which I guess means he does have some long term plans, in case I go wild or something. Hmm, worth further consideration that."

The baker stared dumbfounded "Haha, sure…"

"So how did you know I was a mage?" Natsu asked "Oh, and can I have one of them, one of them, one of them, one of them, one of them, one of them, one of them, one of them, one of them, one of them… err" he bit his lip between two, a chocolate donut or iced bun, and decided on the chocolate donut "And one of them, one of them, one of them, one of them, one of them, one of them, oh and one of them for good measure."

He chuckled again and went to where Natsu's finger had first jabbed against the glass "One of these righ?t" Natsu nodded "And I knew you were a mage cause…Was it this or this?" Natsu pointed at the iced roll as opposed to the chocolate donut, despite that he had earlier chosen "I used to be one."

"You went from mage to baker? One of those swirly pastry things, but with icing" he said, noticing the mistake the baker was about to make "Wait a minute… is this a magic bakery?"

"Nothing so grand" he said, placing 'one swirly pastry thing, with icing' into a bag "I guess it was a bit of a big shift, still being a baker isn't a bad life."

"Hmm" Natsu wiped some of the drool from his mouth, bakeries always made him drool, there was something about the smell of freshly baked bread that was so appetising, which was odd as bread wasn't all that nice, but warm from the oven it was delicious "So what guild did you belong to?"

"Ah" the man's eyes misted over as he remember a time not too long ago "Only the bestest most awesomest coolest guild ever, Fairy Tail!"

Natsu's eyes went wide, his heart started pounding in his ears, his knees shook, and a grin twitched onto his face "Fairy Tail…" he whispered.

"You heard of us?" the baker asked thinking _'Of course he has.'_

"Yeah… I know a member of the guild… intimately" the fight flickered across his eyes, forever burned there like a light bulb you stared at too long, only this light bulb had been taken and shoved into his eye socket.

Some people shut down during a fight, they forgot everything but battle. Others poured their heart into their actions, fought heart and soul and blood and sweat. Either way there was a mutual understanding formed between both combatants, you didn't know each other, you didn't care for each other, but at some level you connected, you formed a bond of blood and pain. And that was nice. It was nice bonding with people, and then killing them.

"Oh?" the baker grinned suggestively "That must be nice" _'Those Fairy Tail girls are total hotties, ah, if only it were like that back in my day' _he put the last tasty treat into the bag and placed it on the counter "Okay and your total comes to two thousand three hundred Jewels…"

Both their heads rose as a rumble shook the shop.

"What the hell is that?" the baker asked stepping from behind the counter and walking over to the glass entrance. He stepped out and peered around, only finding others doing the same "Huh, guess it was…" another rumble shook them "Hey kid do you know anything about thi…" he stopped, the pink haired boy was gone, as was the bag of cakes he had prepared "Wait a minute…Did he leave without paying?"

"Whoops" the pink haired boy ran right back up "Sorry, I forget to pay. Here" Natsu gave him a big cheery smile "Thanks for the cakes" and then he was off again, heading in the direction of the rumble.

The baker grinned _'Probably off to make sure his girlfriend's okay' _he gave Natsu a thumbs up to the boys retreating back "Go get her kid."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Plenty had happened while Natsu was sleeping, and more still while he was walking. Levy, Jet and Droy, i.e. Team Shadowgear, had been attacked by Phantom Lord's Gajeel, not that Natsu had any idea who Team Shadowgear was. Fairy Tail in response had attacked Phantom Lord's base. Master Makarov of Fairy Tail had been crippled by Aria of the Heavens, Natsu didn't know who he was either.

Plenty.

But Natsu knew none of this and so he was none the wiser as he peered over the edge of the largish building he was sat atop, munching on his iced bun. A group of people were gathered out in front of it, all staring into the water.

And just as Natsu was about to do likewise, there she came.

Erza Scarlet.

The sight of her made him grin, the smell of her filled his nostrils, nothing else mattered anymore, only that Erza was there. And Natsu was damned if he was going to let this opportunity slip by.

But before he could jump down and re-introduce her to his fist, she charged forwards, throwing aside the pink bath towel she had been wearing and requipping into an armour she hadn't used during their fight.

It was bulky, covering all of her body and leaving only her face bear, and even then just bearing from the confines of the heavy helm. Coloured dark blue and white, the armour certainly looked sturdy.

And finally looking up Natsu realised what she had charged forwards for "Oh" he said casually, munching on his 'swirly pastry thing, with icing', just as the blast hit. Out in the water was a huge building, stood on six legs, the idea of a moving building made Natsu feel sick, and out of it poked a cannon, from which the blast Erza was currently struggling again had emerged.

Natsu could see her strain, pouring all her magic into the armours defence, as the blast kept pounding at her, unrelenting. It almost pissed him off _'That should be me down there, dammit why is everything trying to steal my fight, bastards the lot of them' _he pouted and finished off his 'swirly pastry thing, with icing' in one big bite.

The armour shattered leaving her naked, her body bruised and ravaged, but she had protected them all, including Natsu, from a blast from the Jupiter Cannon.

Magical Convergent Cannon, Jupiter, to give it its full name, a blast from that would've wiped this building and much of the surrounding town off of the map, killing quite a few, and she had blocked it, all on her lonesome, with just a set of armour "Impressive…" Natsu said "To say the least."

He glanced at Erza, she wouldn't be getting up any time soon. So he rolled onto his back and stared up at the sky, ignoring everything that was taking place down below. He would wait, Natsu would never claim to be patient, but he would wait, this once at least. This was worth waiting for.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Natsu wandered the halls of Phantom Lord's guildhall, though he had no idea it was Phantom Lord's or even who Phantom Lord was, pissed off.

He had finished his snacks, which was one of the things pissing him off, and hunting Erza through this place, another of the things pissing him off, after she had recovered and flown over here before he woke up enough to notice her, and now he'd lost her, couldn't even find her scent.

Grumbling to himself Natsu continued searching, kicking in doors to try and find her.

More stuff had happened as he had been drifting in between asleep and awake. Two guys had entered the walking guild, he had seen that much. The sky got boring after a while but their struggle against a superior and all but immortal opponents did not, at least not for a while, so he'd been watching at the time.

Then the big building, how a building was using magic he had no idea, had tried using Abyss Break, a spell whose effects Natsu had once survived in a run in with another Dark Guild, it hurt like hell did that spell, but that had only served to piss him off even further. Needless to say that Dark Guild wasn't in existence anymore, nor were any of its members. And Charmain had sent him on a diplomatic mission to them, he really should've known better, unless of course he wanted them destroyed in which case he should've just told him, Natsu frowned, then shook his head, it wasn't the time for this crap he was searching for Erza.

During the Abyss Break some girl claimed to be some other girl and was about to be crushed, cue touching family scene that Natsu might've dreamt up, he wasn't sure, then she too disappeared into the building, and shortly afterwards Erza entered and Natsu followed after waking up.

"If I don't find her soon" he said "I'm going to start blowing shit up at random" and he was going to start with this building, if it started moving he was going to kill everything and everyone on board.

A smell hit his nostrils, a scent he recognised, and a grin spread across his face.

"Well… guess I better go say hello."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"ERZA!" Mirajane, Elfman and Gray found her looking very much worse for wear, leaning against a piece of rubble in a large hall that had certainly seen better days.

"What are you doing here?" Gray asked, taking a step forward.

Mira was the first to notice, Aria of the Heavens, the strongest of the Element Four, lying unconscious nearby.

"Don't tell me you fought someone in the shape you're in?" Elfman said, inwardly crying tears _'Erza's such a man!'_

"Then the one who defeated Aria was you?" Mira asked, stepping forwards and kneeling by the heavily injured girl.

Erza gave her a small smile, all she could manage under the circumstances "I didn't want you to see me in such a pitiful state… Looks like I've got a long way to go, huh?"

'_She defeated Aria, having taken a hit from the Jupiter Cannon, and still thinks she's not good enough' _Gray mused _'As I always suspected, Erza really isn't human, is she.' _

A sensation made them all flinch, and Mira stood up straight, looking around for the source. It was like a foulness in the air, a stink, but deeper than that, penetrating all their senses, making them afraid.

"Wha… what is this sensation"

"I feel a chill unbefitting a man!"

"What is… this…"

"My, my" a voice called their attention, as his hands clap, clap, clapped "What a wonderful show you've all put on" he stood there, Jose Porla, a grin on his cruel face "I honestly never expected you to provide me with this much entertainment."

'_This guy…' _Gray thought _'…is the Master of Phantom' _Elfman was on the same train_._

'_How can magic feel this evil' _Mira wondered, feeling weak at the knees, a hand covering her mouth in an attempt to hold back her potential vomit _'Its making me feel physically sick just being near.'_

"Well then" magic seemed to flow off of him, like a wind hitting them with the force of a wave "I must thank you for providing me with such entertainment. I've had my fill."

Gray and Elfman stepped forwards, covering their injured and incapable comrades.

Jose smirked, magic swirled about his palm.

"GET AWAY!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A knife slammed into the stone to the side of her head, Lucy winced her head turned away from the blade. It had come so close to her, too close for comfort. Six others knives pierced the walls she was bound to by iron bands nailed into the walls, seven including the one just thrown. Two stabbed on either side of her chest, four around her legs, and now one next to her head.

"Ooh, nasty" Gajeel said, grinning "I thought that one was gonna hit for sure, gihihihihihi."

Behind him several members of Phantom Lord whimpered, partly in pity for her, partly in pity for themselves. They were supposed to guard the girl, not let Gajeel practise his throwing knife skills on her "G-Gajeel" one of them worked up the courage to say "You really sh-shouldn't do that… What if you actually hit her?"

"But I'm bored, you know" Gajeel said, flipping the knife he had formed in his hand. He eyed up his prior work, wondering "Where should I aim for next?"

The guild member took another step forwards "Jus-just stop it…"

The man who had spoken was treated to a blunt blow from a solid iron bar, or rather being head-butted by Gajeel, same difference really.

"Shut the fuck up" Gajeel told him, though it was unlikely he heard being in multitudes of pain and quite possibly unconscious, the dragon slayers red eyes glinting dangerously "I don't care who the hell this girl is, from where I'm standing she's just another fucking Fairy, worthless trash and nothing more. Who gives a shit if she dies or whatever?"

"I-if she dies" someone else spoke up, but wisely kept their distance "Master will be very… very angry with you!"

He shrugged "Ah who cares, I'll just blame it on you guys…"

"N-no way…"

Gajeel spat "Man, this sucks… even those Fairy Tail idiots are throwing away their lives just cause she's got a bit of cash" why was everyone so obsessed with this blonde bitch? Why they really so desperate for money? He chuckled at the thought.

"Hah…"

Gajeel froze, no one else had heard, but he had, a laugh, small, breathless, but a definite laugh, coming from the bond blonde "What?" he turned to her, his face cold as iron "You say something girl?"

Lucy met his gaze as fearlessly as she could "You guys really are complete idiots, aren't you" Lucy smirked at them "I feel so sorry for you, it makes me wanna cry."

"Is that right…" Gajeel grinned "Huh… you know to be able to bluff in a situation like this, maybe you aren't so completely worthless after all."

"You utter fools, you aren't even the slightest bit scared are yo…"

A knife thudded into the wall by her other ear, Lucy had tilted her head so that her head was touching the knife throwing before that one, the metal cold even through her hair, but it was better than a knife to the skull that was for sure.

A few of the Phantom Lord guild members actually screamed, whereas Lucy did not, more still whimpered.

"What was that?" Gajeel asked, placing a hand over his ear. He had heard perfectly of course, he just wanted to know if she was brave and stupid enough to say it again, he would reward both with pain, and quite possibly death.

Her legs were shaking, but she forced herself to speak "You're the ones who'd be in trouble if I died you know… There's no way Fairy Tail would ever forgive you! That's the type of guild they are. You'd end up spending every day cowering if fear of the most terrifying guild in the world for the rest of your lives" she told them with a smile.

"Is that so?" a sadistic grin showcased his sharp canines "Maybe I should put that theory of yours… TO THE TES…" the knife in his hand clattered to the ground.

His hand was shaking Lucy noticed, in fact he was shaking, and sounding like clanking keys as he did so, panic was obvious in his eyes and he turned to face the door "What the hell?" he muttered "What the hell is _he_ doing here?" he took a step back "Shit… shit… shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! He's really fucking here…"

"G-Gajeel" someone asked "Who is he?"

"He… he's just the fucking… SALAMANDER!"

The door burst in in a blast of flame that carried it right the way across the room until it smashed into Gajeel's iron form, momentarily blinding him with wood and flame.

"Yo, Gajeel!" Natsu entered, grinning brightly, and he looked around "Eh? Where's Gajeel?" he had been certain the Iron Dragon Slayer was in here, certain of it, certainly certain of it.

"Y-yo" Gajeel said, stepping out of the burning remains of the door, looking somehow smaller "S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-Salamander."

Everyone blinked _'Since when does Gajeel stutter?'_

"Hey!" Natsu gave him another bright grin "How you been Gajeel? Keeping well I hope? Wait a minute… Do I care?" he took a deep breath "Nope! Goody, let's move onto what I care about" he paused "Erm… what did I come in here to ask again?" he looked around hoping to find something to jog his memory in the room. His eyes landed on Lucy and remained there.

Lucy flinched, but met his gaze _'Salamander, and he's still after Erza… I can't let him.'_

Natsu looked over at Gajeel a blush on his face "G-Gajeel" he said furtively "I didn't know you were into bondage."

Gajeel blinked "WHAT?!" he shouted "I'M NOT INTO BONDAGE!" he clapped his hands over his mouth, he had just shouted angrily, that was bad. He shivered hoping beyond hope that Salamander didn't mind.

"Then explained the tied up girl over there" Natsu said.

Gajeel sighed in relief. Salamander didn't mind, it was difficult to tell at the best of times what would set Salamander off "S-she's a prisoner."

"Oh, well that makes sense… Buts its nothing to be ashamed of you know, bondages is a perfectly valid thing to enjoy… err" he glanced at Lucy "…on both ends."

"I'M NOT EITHER!" she screamed.

"Ow!" Natsu whined, her scream hurting his eardrums.

Gajeel couldn't bring himself to care about his stinging ears right now, a bit preoccupied with his potential fiery death "So, you had a question?" Gajeek asked cautiously.

"Oh yeah" there was nothing childish about his expression right now, the smirk he wore was cruel and menacing, his eyes warned all to not displease him "Where is Erza Scarlet?"

'_E-Erza?' _Lucy repeated in her head. But Erza was still in the guild hall, recovering from her injuries, wasn't she? She had been last Lucy saw of her, seconds before Mira put her to sleep and sent her to Fairy Tail's 'safe house' which as it turned out wasn't all that safe given that she was here in Phantom Lord's guild hall.

Gajeel blinked "W-who's that?"

"Huh? You don't know" Gajeel shook his head a negative "Oh, I see, fair enough. Err… well… how do I describe her… she has red… wears a lot of armour… most of its really quite revealing and not very armour-ish. Seriously, isn't armour supposed to protect the body, how can it protect if you're exposing all the areas that need protecting…" he shook his head "Anyway, red hair, armour… any idea yet?"

"Do you mean, Fairy Queen Titania?" Gajeel asked. He had fought someone of that description, vague though it was, during Fairy Tail's attack on Phantom Lord, she had been tough, he might've honestly been pressured by her, but wouldn't admit it to anyone, well he would to Salamander but Salamander was Salamander.

Natsu grinned brightly "Yeah, that's her, so where is she?"

"No clue."

A breeze blew past them carrying with it a ball of tumbleweed from somewhere or other.

"You… you don't know?"

Gajeel winced and stepped back, his teeth chatter like a knife and fork clanking together "N-no?" he wondered if that was the right answer, it was the true one but was it the one that allowed for his continued survival.

Natsu pouted "Dammit, and I thought Gajeel would know" he raised his fist, shouting to the heavens in a rather childish tone "Where the hell is she?"

"Salamander" Lucy muttered, glaring at him.

Salamander heard her and glanced over looking a tiny bit curious, but it was mostly a childish annoyance that wasn't directed at her "What? You want something?"

"…i-if… if you…"

"Hmm?" he tilted his head.

"If you think I'll let you lay a single hand on Erza, you're wrong!" she bellowed.

Natsu blinked "Oh" his palm slammed into the wall by the side of Lucy's, the stone already cracked from Gajeel's knives cracking further still "Tell me, blondie, do you know where Erza Scarlet is?"

"No" she answered truthfully "And even if I did I wouldn't tell you."

A grin twitched onto his face. Determination, sometimes he respected it, other times he found it silly, this time he did truly respect it. Blondie here, she really wouldn't tell him a thing about Erza Scarlet's whereabouts. If Natsu thought for a moment she knew anything of course he'd be testing her resolve with fire, very few people's determination lasted long when they were aflame.

Natsu looked her up and down, for something he felt like he knew her, his eyes paused midway up her, right on the impressive cleavage displayed by her leopard patterned top.

Lucy looked at him, followed his gaze and looked down, looked up again, and blushed "W-Where the hell are you looking?!" she shouted, struggling in her bonds.

"I remember you, you were with Erza that day, weren't you?" Natsu said with grin.

"Ur…" Lucy looked down at her cleavage again "Did you… did you just recognise me because of my boobs?"

"Yeah."

Her face burned bright red "P-PERVERT!"

"OW!" Natsu shouted, backing away, his ears stinging, a point blank full powered scream, it was not pleasant to be on the receiving end of one of them "What the hell?" he shouted "Why am I a pervert? Just cause your boobs are the most recognisable thing about you."

"Shut up, pervert! Let me out of these chains and say that again…" she shut up, as fingers wreathed in flames hovered just a few inches before her forehand.

"You know…" Natsu said to her "There are politer ways of asking for something."

Lucy blinked, and she blinked again as he melted the metal of her bonds, making sure no molten metal touched her, and removed them entirely. She was still blinking as she rubbed at her wrists, which itched as they were now free from their binds "Huh?"

"Okay, Gajeel, next question…"

"Oi! Who the fuck are you to walk in here and release our prisoners?!" one of the several members of Phantom Lord stepped forwards.

Gajeel looked from him to Salamander, wondering what to do. On the one hand he could try and stop the idiot, his fellow guild member not Salamander, but that might just lead to him getting caught in the crossfire, or rather Salamander's fire. And on the other he could just not interfere but that might piss Salamander off and a pissed of Salamander was someone Gajeel did not want to be in the same room as.

Natsu barely spared him a glance.

"I ask you a fucking question?" he said, rushing forwards, magic swirling around his palm.

This time Natsu did glance, and his hands grabbed around his skull, holding him aloft. Natsu stared him, eyes smouldering with rage "Burn" the man's screams sounded above the roar of the flames that consumed him, Natsu watched him scream in agony with no more mercy or pity then if he were to crush an ant, or someone's skull.

A burnt black corpse hit the ground, smoking, before it crumbled into ashes.

"Anyway" Natsu turned back to Gajeel "Know anyone who might know where she is?"

"Err" Gajeel scratched his head.

Lucy shivered in fear as she stared at the remains of a person. Was he going to do that to Erza? She bit her lip. No way was she letting that happen, not to Erza who had brought her into Fairy Tail, Erza who had protected her and all of Fairy Tail from a blast from the Jupiter Cannon, no way in hell.

"Open" she shouted, drawing looks from Gajeel and Salamander "Gate Key of the Archer, Sagittarius."

A man in a horse costume with a bow appeared, looking around.

"I know we haven't made a contract" Lucy said quickly, her eyes trained on Salamander "But can you help me out just right now!"

To his credit Sagittarius only hesitated for a moment "Certainly, I shall endeavour to…" but that moment was long enough and a fist caught him in the face and sent him flying at the wall, then through the wall, then through the wall behind that, and the one behind that, and the one behind that, all the way until he was outside and hovering above the water, then he had finally taken too much damage and vanished.

Natsu hand wrapped around her chin, his fingers digging into her bruised and scraped cheeks, her lips pressed to his palm. She could feel his heat, searing through his palm, his fingers hot on her face, he wasn't burning her, he wasn't using his flames, but he was scorching hot all the same "A Celestial Spirit mage, huh?" Natsu mused, examining her face "Haven't met one of those in a while? Not since I killed Gwyneth actually" for a moment a key, burnt black and marked with red lines like cooling lava flickered across his vision.

His other hand had taken the key from her before she had time to think, and was twirling it between his fingers as he pressed her into the wall.

Natsu grinned, dark and threatening, his eyes burned like twins suns and they were so close Lucy could feel her face searing in the heat they radiated. It was in that moment, as she stared him down and felt nothing but fear, fear that consumed her like a wildfire, that burned her every pore with the urge to run, that she wondered how she had ever been scared to tears by her father, how something so mundane could ever scare her, when a man, if he could even be called a man, like this walked free, while Salamander walked the earth.

He let her go suddenly, his fingers leaving red marks on her skin from their heat. Lucy fell, her legs have given out at some point and she slumped against the wall, breathing heavily for she had been unable to while Salamander's gaze seared her.

"Gajeel, your answer?" Natsu demanded.

"Err" Gajeel thought fast, he had been paying attention to Lucy's predicaments, thanking any deity that existed that he wasn't in her shoes, and hadn't been contemplating the question Salamander had posed "J-Jose might know, Master Jose."

"Okay then, take me to him" Natsu began heading for the door, but paused "Here" he tossed Sagittarius's key back to Lucy "You're Erza's friend, right?" Lucy nodded meekly "Then you can come along if you want."

She blinked. Did he wanted her as a hostage?

Seeing her hesitance Natsu shrugged "Don't have to if you don't want to, either way Gajeel get moving."

"Aye sir" Gajeel said, making his way quickly to the door.

Lucy glanced at her key, then back up at Salamander, and rushed after the pair. She fell into step behind the both of them, Gajeel paid her only a glance, a glance that asked 'Are you insane? You had the chance to get away from this psychotic Dragon Slayer and you didn't take it?!' while Salamander paid her no more mind that he paid that bit of rubble hanging over there, but he did rub his head after smacking it into that so she might've been paid even less attention than the rubble.

After a short while Natsu… started singing.

"The Dragons are marching two by two, Hurrah, Hurrah, The Dragons are marching two by two, Hurrah, Hurrah, The Dragons are marching two by two some people are sure that I'm missing a screw, and they all go marching down, to the ground, cause I put 'em there, cause they're dead, cause I killed them… yeah…" he continued humming the tune for a while "The Dragons are marching two by two, Hurrah, Hurrah… err… Gajeel you continue."

"Huh? Err…" Gajeel twitched, did he have to? Of course he did it was Salamander asking "The Dragons are marching two by two, Hurrah, Hurrah, The Dragons are marching two by two I can turn my finger into a screw" and to demonstrate he did so…

"It's not fair" Natsu cut over whatever else he was gogin to sing "Why do I get the short end of the stick? I wish I could turn my body into fire" he pouted furiously "Blondie, your next."

Lucy twitched "The Dragons are marching two by two and you're both missing a fucking screw!"

Natsu glanced back at her "Did I not say something… about people who say I'm missing a screw."

Lucy flinched, but didn't back down.

"Ah well" he hummed the tune to himself.

Lucy almost shook her head "Hey… Gajeel."

Gajeel looked back at her.

"Why does he call you a dragon?" since they were marching side by side she presumed the 'two' Natsu was talking about where them "For that matter why does he call himself a dragon?"

"We're both Dragon Slayer's" Gajeel told her "And were both raised by dragons" aside from the glaringly obvious fact that dragons were just a legend and the idea of them raising two children was insane, Lucy could accept that.

"You use the same magic?" but that couldn't be it, Natsu used fire and Gajeel used iron.

"Sort of, the same… type I guess, but different elements. Its…" he scrathed his head "You have different key, right, and they summon up different things…" Lucy nodded "Well it's kinda like that. I'm the Iron Dragon Slayer, Salamander is a Fire Dragon Slayer." the reason Gajeel was answering her questions, if a bit gruffly, was because with Lucy there, there was someone to hide behind. He knew full well that Salamander could beat him, heck he could him while hogtied, blindfolded, ball gagged and being electrocuted every ten seconds… and Gajeel claimed not to be into bondage.

"So you two have met before?"

Gajeel winced "Yeah" he looked up at the ceiling "I'll never forget that day…"

_Fire burned around him, caravans set alight, their occupants equally on fire, and through it all he stepped._

_Salamander._

_They had fought, at first Gajeel had been arrogant, confident of his victory, he soon learned of his folly, this… thing in front of him was on a whole other level. Salamander wasn't a Dragon Slayer… he was a dragon in human form, and as he towered above Gajeel's broken body and pressed a foot down in the centre of his chest, smoke rising from the searing heat of his bear skin, Gajeel could only see a dragon._

"_Well now, Gajeel" Salamander said, for the first time getting his name right. He had been called Badwheel, Kapeel, Nazile even Gazille, but this time he got it right "Let's have a little chat."_

"And that's was our first meeting."

Lucy blinked, and looked around to see if she was the only one confused, she was "But you didn't say anything, you just looked off into the distance for a couple of minutes."

"Good times" Natsu said, remembering it fondly.

A few feet away Gajeel cried tears of terror from the worst memory he had.

"Anyway, lets hurry up, I wanna find Erza quickly."

"Yeah" Gajeel wiped away tears "Sure" he sniffed "This way."

A few moments later "Are we nearly there yet?"

"No."

"Oh."

"Oh" Gajeel agreed.

A few minutes later "Are we nearly there yet?"

"No."

"Oh."

Gajeel rolled his eyes.

"Are we nearly there yet?"

"Few more minutes."

A minute later "Are we nearly there yet?"

"Almost."

"Are we nearly there yet?"

"Ten seconds."

"Are we near…"

"We're here."

Natsu grinned and charged to the edge that Gajeel had led them to, he looked down into a large hall, that had definitely seen better days. Rubble littered it, the floor was a broken mess, and within that mess two combatants fought, one was Erza, red hair flowing as she fought, and the other… Natsu had no idea who the other was "I thought you didn't know where Erza was" Natsu said.

"I didn't" he said, pointing at the other figure "That's Jose."

"Oh, that makes sense."

'_Still' _Gajeel thought staring at the battle _'Didn't she take a hit from the Jupiter Cannon earlier, and that unconscious guy there is Aria, which means that having done both of them, she's now fighting against Jose? Suddenly I'm a lot more thankful our fight was interrupted… plus Salamander's interested in her too… Yeah, I'm really glad our fight was interrupted. But…'_

She had no chance of winning, Natsu could see it, Gajeel could see it, Lucy wasn't sure what she was seeing, just that Erza was injured.

She glanced at Natsu "H-help her."

Gajeel blinked and looked at her as if she was insane, Natsu just looked curiously.

A plan had formed in her head "Erza can't fight you if she's dead" she told him, her gaze not leaving his "Help her."

Natsu frowned "I would you know, but I kinda have flee on sight orders."

"Flee on sight?"

"Yeah, and right now I can't see him, so I'm not fleeing, but he'll be here soon."

"What are you… Who will be here soon?"

Natsu took a hold of Lucy's head and pointed it down "Watch."

So she did, she listened to Jose's frankly stupid monologue, she watched Erza get beaten, and all the while her hand clutched the Gate Key that Erza had given her, and then she listened to Erza speak of her, while bound by Jose's magic and knew what she had to do, she was going to interfere, she was going to fight Jose, even though she had no chance, she couldn't let Erza fall.

Then the magic holding here vanished.

"Well, show's over" Natsu said, sounding disappointed. It had pissed him off in truth, all the while Jose was beating down Erza, he wanted to be the one to do that, and fighting an opponent so weakened was just downright boring, there was no joy in fighting someone who was weak or weakened only a sense of dissatisfaction "Nice to see you again Gajeel" he said.

"Huh?" Gajeel said, then a foot took him from behind tossing him into the hall where he collided with Jose nearly crushing his guild master.

Lucy just dumbfounded, then turned to face Natsu who was now stood behind her "Oh" she said, realising it far too late.

Natsu's foot took her in the stomach and sent her flying into the hall as where. She collided with Erza and landed on top of the red haired girl.

"L-Lucy? Why are you here?" she said, then realised where her hands, which had raised to protect her from the incoming projectile, where "You know you have really nice breasts Lucy."

"Yo!" a voice called into the hall drawing all gazes to Natsu "Titania" but his gaze was only on her.

"SALAMANDER!" she roared, hugging Lucy to her, and wishing she had a sword. Was he a part of this? Had Phantom Lord hired Torched Heaven?

Hearing her shout, Gray and Elfman slowly woke, feeling hot, searing hot. Jose's wicked magic had faded, replaced by a burning fire. Mirajane also woke, struggling to stand, and looked over "That's… Salamander?" _'He's so young' _she thought to herself, she had expected him to be older, certainly not of a similar age to herself.

'_This guy… he isn't manly at all' _Elfman glared.

Gray just glared, he wasn't letting Salamander get at Erza again.

"You know, you must be quite impressive" Natsu said, looking at none of them "For Charmain to honestly be scared of you… Makarov Dreyar."

All gazes turned, to the find the small elderly leader of Fairy Tail in the room, staring up at Salamander with them all. In a second his magic had wiped away Salamander's searing, and replaced it with a familiar, gentle, and warm feeling that filled the heart of all Fairy Tail mages, and brought tears of relief to the eyes of Mira.

"Salamander" Makarov said sternly, ignoring Jose for now, he was still trying to get out from beneath the now unconscious Gajeel anyhow "I will warm you just once, harm any of my kids again and I will hunt you to the ends of the earth" he said, power filling up his voice.

"You better start hunting then" Salamander said with a grin, just as Lucy started coughing.

"Lucy!" Erza cried, seeing blood dripping from the blonde's mouth, she made to stand.

"No!" Makarov snapped at her "Get out of here" he told his brats, glancing briefly at Jose who was now recovered and then at Salamander _'Taking on both at once, will be tricky…'_

"It wasn't meant for me, but I will" Salamander said to them "Oh and Erza… see you soon" with a final teasing grin and a sharp backwards jab with his finger, the entire section of building behind him blew apart in an explosion of fire that consumed Salamander as well. Once it had gone, leaving half of Phantom Lord's guildhall destroyed, Salamander was gone as well.

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"Whoopsie daisy" Natsu said, having smashed into the lighthouse. He intended to just land on it, having spotted something down there, instead he plunged right into the glass "Owie" he winced as glass had penetrated a good portion of his back and head, he slowly pulled himself out of the light and looked around "Oh, double whoops" he said staring back at Phantom Lord's guild hall and at Fairy Tail's guild hall an all.

The rubble from his explosion had fallen… right onto Fairy Tail and the already structurally unsound building had collapsed.

"Impressive, is it not…" Alastor said, stood straight by the rails, his katana gripped by its sheath in one hand, he had been what Natsu saw down on the lighthouse "…Fairy Law."

"Hmm" Natsu paused and watched it "I guess…" the golden light that had filled much of his vision faded "But I was expecting something more… destructive" nothing seemed to have happened, at all, it had just been there and gone and while pretty it wasn't exactly the war deterrent Charmain had spoken of.

"Perhaps it is more than we know" Alastor said "Charmain did not have the full details of the spell after all."

"Charmain had virtually no details on the spell" Natsu whined "So what are you doing here, Alastor?"

"I noticed you in the area" he commented "And I feared you were breaking Charmain's orders of not attacking Fairy Tail directly" there was no note of reproach in his voice, then again there was rarely a note of anything in his voice.

"Well…" Natsu shrugged "I wasn't, I didn't even know this was Fairy Tail's town, honestly I didn't."

Alastor looked at him, pulling glass out of his skull and back, struggling with one piece in a particularly difficult to reach part of his back, and reached over and yanked it free "I have no trouble believing that."

"Right…" Natsu blinked "Well… anyway, I was just in a town, heard something, went to see what was going on, ran into an old face, ran into a less old face that I didn't really recognise, then ran into Erza…" he grinned "We better get out of here quick, otherwise Charmain's gonna be all over my arse" he sighed "So, wanna head back together?"

Alastor nodded.

"Great" Natsu grinned "You can buy me a meal in the next town" with that he leapt down over the railing, landing at the bottom with a jet of fire to cushion his descent.

Alastor remained a moment longer, glancing back at the ruins of Fairy Tail "So Natsu has found someone who interests him" a smile played at his lips "How interesting" he followed after his guild mate over the railings.

* * *

As before this hasn't been fully proofread, as before if I get too many complaints I'll redo it, the trouble is I sorta already have proofread this chapter, not this one in particular but a previous version of it, then I lost my Usb stick (still moaning about that) and now I'm rewriting all the stuff I lost, but this is the last completed chapter I need to rewrite, so I'm in newer territory now, which will hopefully speed my up. Anyway my point was, forgot about that, that there's only so often you can reread something, especially when you've spent the last several hours writing most of it, which I have done.

Toodles.


	10. Fireheart

**Chapter 10: Fireheart.**

_Sweat dripped down his neck. Exertion, not heat, Natsu never felt hot, but despite that, in this moment of all moments, he felt hot, burning hot._

_She was beneath him, her body coated in sweat as was his, her armour rent, her skin burned and bruised, while his was sliced and diced and dripping with blood as well as sweat, but those brown eyes, those lovely brown eyes, stared up at him defiant as ever, steely as ever._

_Their faces were level, their noses practically touching, he could taste her breath on his tongue, the scent of her sweat filled his nostrils even as he breathed heavily through his mouth, they were exhausted, broken, bloodied, and this battle had raged on far too long for there to be any pleasure left for either party. Natsu was having the time of his life._

_He grinned at her as his fist rose high._

_But she was ready for him, a knife in her hand, on a collision course with his neck, and this time there was nothing in her way._

_The blade dug deep, stabbing into his flesh, but the pain didn't matter, death didn't matter, all that mattered, as she twisted the blade in his flesh rending his neck apart in a bloody shower, was Erza, she was all that mattered to Natsu. And his fist descended._

_Her skull cracked, her face wrecked by his burning hand, leaving nothing but blood, bone and red hair. Blood sluiced down his neck like a bleeding waterfall. It burned, it burned him. There was one thing, one being Natsu ever knew who could curse im burn him, himself, he supposed in a roundabout way he was burning himself this time too. Natsu loved the burning, how anyone could find it painful, how anyone could fear it, he had no idea. He loved the burning, he loved the pain, he loved the blood, he loved this moment, it was perfect, it was flaw less it was…_

_It was the end._

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Natsu woke, his breathing heavy, sweat on his body, his fingers clenching and unclenching, after a moment he recognised it for a dream, and forced himself calm, the flames burning inside of him dimmed to a smoulder, ready to rise should the need arise.

He groaned.

"Erza, Erza, Erza, Erza, Erza, Erza, Erza, Erza, Erza, Erza, Erza, Erza, and FUCKING ERZA!" he roared, the fire in the hearth sparking brighter for a moment "Why can't you think of something else, DAMMIT!" he leapt from his bed and took his temper out on the only source he knew off. His own skull.

Once, twice, thrice he thwacked it against the cold hard stone of his wall, twice more made the sensation intensely painfully stinging, four more hits saw blood flow down his nose, seven more and it was flowing freely, dripping into his eyes and stinging like hell there, and he kept on smacking it, until pain took over, until Erza was replaced by pain, pain and annoyance. At himself, in part, at Erza, in larger part, and at his brain, which may be himself but in this case he chose to view as a separate entity.

"Stupid fucking head" he cursed wiping hair from his bleeding forehead. He touched the wound none to gently, his fingers finding hard bone amidst tenderized flesh, the wound was deep. He sighed "Fuck!"

Why couldn't he get that stupid, beautiful, wonderful, fucking infuriating, steely willed, red haired bitch knight out of his head? He wanted to think about others things, things like the weather, eating, who he would kill today, whether or not he should hit Spitfire for his latest annoying anecdote, whether blowing up every train in the country was a viable option, and instead it was Erza this and Erza and Erza fucking Erza!

Ever since that damn thing with Gajeel and the blondie, when they had met Erza and the midget grandpa, she had been in his head and just wouldn't fuck off.

Growling Natsu set his hand aflame, then slapped it to his forehead.

The sizzle of flesh being seared echoed in the room, the hiss of blood evaporating, and the burning, Natsu loved the burning.

It set his body a shiver, filled his senses with pain, and he loved it, every moment, even as the burning became too intense, even as all his instincts told him to pull away, it was in those moments that he pushed back, forced away his instincts and kept on burning.

His hand pulled away leaving a burn mark on his forehead, but it would heal they always did, wounds always did, and those he burned shut healed twice as fast sometimes even faster.

"You know" Natsu blinked and looked at the door, where a large man stood leaning against the frame "How can you burn yourself, but not be burned by anyone else?" his two gold front teeth flashed as he smiled. It was a mocking smile. Natsu didn't care.

Rohit was a member of Torched Heaven, strong, not on the same level as the Blistering Trio but he certainly came close. He was a tall, heavy set, dark skinned man, his arms ripped with muscles. His head was mostly bald apart from a short red Mohican, and his red Torched Heaven mark was left clear to see on his chest, with the green flak jacket he wore left undone. At his waist a pair of spiked knuckledusters hung.

"The flames are under my skin…" Natsu told him rubbing at the mark "I'm always burning."

The dark skinned man's beady black eyes blinked, the whites strikingly white against his dark skin "I don't really get it… you're always burning you say, but clearly you're not."

"Rohit" Natsu said his name "If you believe everything I say then you're a bigger idiot then I thought, and I thought you were a pretty big idiot" he walked over and stopped in front of the man, a good head taller than Natsu "Now are you gonna tell me what you want? Or should I set to work on punching out all your other teeth… " his hand shot out and gripped his two gold teeth "…like I did these two."

Rohit smiled despite Natsu's fingers in his mouth "No need to get violent, Salamander" he said, his voice muffled by Natsu's fingers "I come bearing a message. Charmain wants to see you" despite the fearlessness of his statement, despite the calm confidence he oozed, a droplet of sweat dripped down Rohit's neck. He was nervous, terrified even, but then he had every reason to be, Natsu was not known for his lack of violence, even towards his supposed comrades, the fact that he barely showed his fear though was something Natsu honestly respected, if it ever came down to it he'd give Rohit a good death, painful maybe, tortuous perhaps, fiery definitely, but a good one.

"Why?"

"No idea."

Natsu glared.

"I'm just the messenger, no point shooting me."

"Actually there are several good reasons to shoot the messenger, to relieve my anger, to make a statement, and because the messenger really gets on my nerves" only Rohit didn't not most of the time. It was just that right now… right now he'd take any outlet and Rohit was stood there with a partly golden smile, ever so tempting.

Saliva built in Rohit's mouth, unable to swallow with Natsu's fingers in there, and their eyes met, a small shake took his dark fingers, one of his hands twitched towers his knuckleduster but he forced it away.

Natsu let him go.

Rohit let out a long breathe of relief, then winced as his lip was scalded by his own front teeth raised to a startling hot temperature "Oi, Salamander, he wants to see… ah, he's gone" he scratched a bald part of his head "Guess I'll get her then… shit, and she hates me" he scowled, waking up one of the Blistering Trio, the only one who hated his guts, in the dead of night. This wasn't going to be fun.

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Natsu kicked in the door, sending it to the ground in a shower of splinters.

Charmain said nothing, he didn't react, didn't even move his gaze from the book he was reading.

"Rohit said you wanted something" Natsu sat himself on the corner of Charmain's desk, facing away from his guild master.

"Yes" Charmain responded, sounding distracted.

Natsu waited, but not for long "Are you gonna tell me, or do you expect me to puzzle it out? You do know how I solve puzzles right?"

"By burning them to ashes, I know" he found a marker and closed his book shut, placing it to one side "Did Ayano not come with you? I sent for her as well."

He shrugged "Rohit'll get her… probably."

"Then I'll explain to you. Do you remember the Fireheart's?"

Natsu shrugged "Vaguely. Old family, noble, possible blood relation to the royal line, wiped out three years ago. Why?"

Charmain hunted for a different book and opened it, offering Natsu the page which he glanced at none too interested. A symbol was emblazoned across the white paper, a heart, set flame along the top, under an arch of sorts formed of two weapons, a sword and a staff, and beneath all of it the family words 'Our flame burns bright' "The Fireheart's legendary sword" he pointed at the weapon on the symbol "and staff. It is the staff which interests me now."

"Didn't you research the family last time? What's gotten you interested now?"

"Last time I believed the staff to be lost, now..." he drew in a long breath "I have uncovered new documentation, new history, and I believe the Fireheart's still possessed the staff."

"So, go and take it, not like they can complain."

"I can't."

"Can't or won't."

Charmain paused "A bit of both. I am needed here, but I could leave should I wish too, even if I went personally though it would be useless. There is a vault, and none can access it, not without the key."

"The key?" he repeated, this sounded a bit complicated.

"Yes, the key..."

"Hey" Ayano glanced around the ruins of the door "Erm, you sent for me Master."

Natsu looked at her, and chuckled "The key, huh?" he shook his head "Right then, find it, bring it back, I got you" he turned heel and headed away. Ayano glanced from him to Charmain and was going to ask something as he passed, but his arm hooked into hers and she was dragged along with him "Come on, we're going."

"G-going?" she blushed from the contact, but forced her mind to focus on the more important matter "Where?"

"Fireheart Manor" he didn't look back, but knew what was going on back there. Ayano's mouth would've formed a neat O, she would try and speak but no words would come, or perhaps no words could.

Ayano Fireheart was going home.

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The Fireheart's had once been one of Fiore's most prominent noble families, and had a long history of powerful mages. Looking at the burnout remains of her former home, Ayano couldn't help but feel a pang of remorse. The gardens where she had run, playing at princess, knight and even dragons, the kitchens were there was always a smile from the cooks who would slip her a treat, even her own room, she missed it all.

But she wasn't Ayano Fireheart, not anymore. Now she was the Blazing Supremacy, Ayano, she had given up all rights to the Fireheart name three years ago.

"Three years" she mused as they treaded the cobblestone path in the early morning, or was it still late night, mist "It feels like a lot longer."

Natsu said nothing.

Fireheart manor lay in a swath of countryside, an old forest that had once put the fear of wolves and witches and demons of the night in her lay to their right, to their left was what had once been farmsteads, fields, and an old mill. The manor was surrounded by mountains on all sides, the only entrance was the mountain pass behind them, once a traveller might've passed this way once a week, now, from the look of the road, Ayano doubted this place saw anyone at all.

The land was waiting to be sold on, but given the manner of death of its former occupants there had been few takers, so it was to be split up and sold as individual lots, the old manor would be torn down. That decision had been made a year ago, two years after the manor was burned. They still hadn't gotten around to doing anything though.

They were getting closer to the house now, passing through what had once been neat orderly gardens, now overgrown and in a terrible state. The manor itself loomed ahead of them and, even a burnt out skeleton of a building as it was, it was still impressive.

It stretched wide in front of them, the main doorway, where once a large redwood door with the Fireheart symbol upon it had rested, could let five people through at once. Marble pillars now burnt black some broken entirely lined the entire exterior. It had taken a staff of forty to keep the place clean and well cared for.

"So" Natsu spoke for the first time since they had left "Charmain mentioned a vault, you know of it?"

"Huh?" she blinked "Oh, yeah" Ayano closed her eyes, trying to draw up how the place had been, building a picture in her head "This way, I think" Natsu let her lead, taking them down ashen corridors, twice they doubled back Ayano shaking her head and apologising profusely, until finally they came to the corridor she remember, at least she thought it was the right one "It…" she looked around, seeking something, anything, on the walls. She had only been five when she had seen it, and never again since, but she remembered it well. It wasn't the type of thing you forgot "There should be a sconce" she said, but she couldn't make out anything in both the darkness and the burnt black walls "You pull it and…"

"Here" Natsu said, drawing her gaze. He was close to the wall, his fingers brushing something she hadn't even been able to make out. Ayano bit back a smile. Natsu sure did have sharp eyes. It was black and her hands became black with soot, but it was the right one. She gave it a pull and, finding it stiff, pulled even harder, placing her whole weight upon it. Still that wasn't enough.

Natsu's hands were placed over hers, which made her face red, and he pushed down. The sconce shifted, a definite click and the wall to the right of the sconce scraped but didn't move. Meanwhile Ayano was nursing her near crushed hands. Natsu sure was strong.

"So…" Natsu said "That didn't work. Think just blasting the wall should do the trick?"

"Yeah" she said, rubbing feeling back into her fingers.

"Okay" Natsu placed his hand flat on the wall.

Ayano lifted her arms over her face just in time as rubble was blasted outwards, towards them, by Natsu's fire. A piece hit her leg hard enough to leave a bruise, but otherwise she was fine, and it was just a bruise. She had suffered much, much worse.

Natsu's explosion had done the trick though, for there, in the hole he had created, a metal panel had been exposed. It was tall as the corridor and three men wide, marked with the Fireheart symbol, but it was different than all the others, more striking, more intense than the symbol in Charmain's book and the one Ayano remembered from the doors. The heart seemed to drip with real steaming blood, while the flames twisted and crackled, the sword and staff resonated genuine power and the words flowed strangely drawing the eyes and ingraining themselves onto your memory. But if, by some trick of the light, you thought it had moved you'd look closer and realise it hadn't, it was static, but it seemed to be begging to come to life.

Natsu whistled "Well, they sure knew how to build a door."

Ayano smiled a bit "Impressed?"

"Yeah" he confessed "I am" he rapped his knuckles against the metal "It's warm…" he noted. His hand burst into flame and he slammed his fist right into the centre of the raw dripping red heart. His fire raged against the steel, then suddenly it died, leaving them bathed in shadow again "Hoho, it'll take a lot to burrow through this."

"Natsu" Ayano called to him "It's got a key."

Natsu pouted "Well that's more convenient I guess… but it's boring."

Ayano smiled a bit more at his childish whining and stepped forwards a fire sparked up around her hand as she drew her sword, the sword from which her nicknamed derived, one of the Fireheart's legendary weapons, Blazing Supremacy.

Her hand gripped the hilt, wrapped in scaled red skin. The pommel was fashioned after a flame frozen for eternity in metal, while the guard was simple and cruciform, both done in dark grey metal flecked with red. The blade itself drew the eye most though. It pulsed with heat, glowing white hot along its fuller, then yellow, then orange, then red at the edges and the tip where it was coolest, but even there it was hot enough to scorch the skin.

She sought out a slot, barely noticeable, in the centre of the heart into which the blade slid as if it had been made for it, which technically it had. Then she twisted it by the guard, a circle in the centre of the heart turning with it, and with a heavy clank the door pulled back, it didn't swing or slide just went back, leaving her holding Blazing Supremacy by its guard, then it slid down disappearing into the ground.

"Well" Ayano glanced at her companion "easy parts over."

Natsu grinned "That's good, I was getting bored anyway."

She forced a smile for him, and let him lead the way into the blackness beyond the vault door, but just before she entered she paused and looked behind her, at a hole that smashed through the entirety of the house to get to this one corridor, she had noticed it before, but the connection eluded her, but now… _'I think… this is…'_

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_The wall shattered, bits of rubble hitting her, dust choking her. Twelve year old Ayano Fireheart stared the broken wall as the dust settled, and a man stepped through. He wasn't that much older than her, but there was something about him, something utterly and completely terrifying, more terrifying than anything she had ever known before._

"_Ayano Fireheart?" he asked simply, a bit of rubble in his hair._

_She could only nod, fear compelling her to obey while simultaneously choking her silent._

_He grinned, it was not a nice grin, it was cruel, brutal , monstrous, the grin of a monster that could eat her whole, the grin of a monster that wanted to eat her whole "I've been looking for you" he said, she wondered why but it never occurred to ask, she never had time either way._

"_MISS AYANO!" someone shouted, she turned to see who it was, but then a hand grabbed her head and the man brought his own head to hers in an almighty thump. Blackness took her and Ayano knew no more._

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"You coming?" Natsu asked, seeing her stop.

Ayano shook herself from memories "Yeah, sorry" she hurried in after him.

It was dark beyond the door, and the passage descended downwards so soon not even the faint light from beyond the vault door could reach them, and even Natsu with his inhumanly sharp eyesight was forced to light a flame in his hand.

"I thought you could see in the dark" she teased.

"No."

Ayano blinked. That was rather concise.

Natsu shrugged at her "Can't see in the dark" he explained further "If there's no light I can't see, simple as that."

"Oh? So your eyes are just more receptive to light or something."

Natsu blinked this time "Can I go with 'or something' yet keep 'more receptive to light' as a possibility?"

Ayano smiled "Sure."

"Goody."

Ten minutes later Ayano was sweating, was it her or was it getting hotter? "How long does this tunnel go on for? We must be under the mountains by now."

"No" Natsu said, not pausing and continuing with his reasonably paced strides "It's curving."

"What?" Ayano looked behind her, she hadn't noticed a curve, and she still couldn't now but blackness claimed the passageway just a few feet away so it was more than she couldn't see it rather than it didn't do it.

"We're going down to beneath the manor, we've already curved a full circle. It's taking its time doing it, but it is curving."

"How close to the end?"

She heard Natsu breath in through his nose, then he breathed out, breathed in again, and out, and waited "A while" he said "I can smell smoke, steel, magic…" he licked his lips "...but they're a fair way off, give or take an hour at best."

"Right, well" she put a cheery smile on things "we better keep walking right?"

And so they did.

"Hey, Natsu?"

"What?"

"What happened to your head?" she had noticed a while ago but not cared to asked until now, to lost in memories she thought dead and buried then dug up and cremated.

"I hit it repeatedly against a wall."

"Oh?" what else could she say "Um, Natsu?" he grunted "You aren't going to hit me repeatedly against the wall, right?"

"Depends on how much you annoy me" Natsu told her "Annoy me too much and I'll smashed your head repeatedly into whatever's available until your skull cracks and your brain is left covering a good portion of the whatever as well as my hand."

Ayano felt it then, just as she had three years ago, terror. Raw undiluted terror, she wanted to run, to flee from this monster, from this murderer, from this beast with no human morals. But she didn't, because these days she too was a murderer, she too had been called a monster, and it had been a long, long, long time since Ayano thought of such an idiotic concept as 'morals' "Um, got any tips?"

Natsu raised an eyebrow at her.

"On how not to annoy you" she clarified.

"Ayano, currently you're about three percent."

"Three percent?" she echoed.

"Make that four percent" he said sharply and she winced "And I meant that you're four percent of the way to annoying me enough for me to shatter your skull" she deflated considerably "But don't worry, this is after the long assed walk over here, and the long assed walk down here. Right now I don't have the energy to be too annoyed at you, I'm too annoyed at the rest of this shit."

"So" scratched her chin thoughtfully "it's taken me several hours to get to four percent?"

"Yeah."

'_Well that's good' _"Does it reset?"

"No, but it fades I guess" he took another couple of steps before speaking again "It doesn't fade if you just stand there quietly mind you, that'll just put it on a steady increase. I hate quiet people, I hate quietness actually, stupid quietness."

She supressed a giggle "I got it, I'll talk/ask questions/prattle inanely, at least a little bit."

"Good girl."

Now that line, that brought back memories.

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"_Where…where am I?" she asked. Her wrists were bound, her head pounded and a lump had formed, but she was alive, awake and alive._

_The room was dark, but she could make out three figures, she sat in the light of a lantern, her shadow long and black behind her._

"_A mountain range in Fiore" one of the men in the room, sat on a crate and playing with a deck of cards, told her "Couldn't tell you which one though, there are so many bleeding mountains in this country" he sighed and shook his head, never losing his focus on his cards._

_Another man stood by the wall, a katana in one hand, his eyes steadfastly closed._

_The last man was the one she had seen before, sat partially illuminated in the light, so she could make out pink hair, a scaled white scarf, and the scowl on his face "DAMMIT!" his sudden shout startled the man playing cards, while the one with the katana reacted no more than opening his eyes. Ayano's reaction had been to flinch violently and huddle herself closer together "I'm so fucking hungry!" he shouted, kicking over a crate, his foot leaving a hole in the wood "When is the damn bastard going to get here?!"_

"_I'm here" Ayano jumped, as another man entered the small, crate filled room. He was the oldest by far, with grey in his beard, the only reasons he could tell was because he walked into the lantern light to stand by the pink haired one._

_His eyes were grey, an even grey, the perfect balance between black and white, and they surveyed her coldly "Ayano Fireheart?"_

"_Y-yes" she stuttered._

"_Oh, so Natty-boy got the right one, good going" the man playing cards reached over and ruffled the pink haired man's hair._

"_You wanna FUCKING DIE SPITFIRE!" _

_Spitfire, she guessed it was his name, danced backwards, out of range of Natsu's swinging fist, and raised his hands peaceably "Hey, calm down alright, I'll buy you a meal" he offered casually, but Ayano noticed his hands shaking and his smile twitching._

"_You will?" suddenly there was a child like reverence in Natsu's gaze as he stared at Spitfire "YAY!" he bounced with joy "FOOD! FOOD! FOOD! YIPPEE!" _

_Spitfire sighed "How can he be so scary one second, and like a small child the next?" he asked the katana wielding man, who thanks to his back stepping he was now almost next to._

_The one with the katana said nothing._

_The grey eyed man cleared his throat, thus drawing to a close the conversation being had behind his back "Ayano Fireheart, you are being held ransom" he explained simply "We desire your family sword, the Blazing Supremacy, if they give it to us, we will give you to them, if they do not we will send you back piece by piece until they give it to us or you're dead" there was little to no malice in his voice, he was just explaining it._

_Ayano shivered, feeling like, if he had been malicious, it would've better, she didn't know why but the utter lack of any type of sadism in his threat of violence was terrifying._

"_Attempt to escape and we will find you, Natsu" he gestured to the pink haired boy "has a nose better than a blood hound, and he has your scent now" once again he was just explaining, not threatening "Should you attempt to escape you will receive less food, less freedom, and less modesty, cooperate and you may maintain all of them at a reasonable level. Is there anything you don't understand?"_

_She shook her head, he had explained everything. Why had she been kidnapped? Answered. What was going to happen to her? Answered. Will I be fed? Answered, in a way._

"_Good, Natsu guard her."_

"_What?" Natsu looked around "Me?! Why do I gotta guard her?"_

_He took a hold of Natsu's shoulder and moved in close, speaking quietly, if the room hadn't been so quiet she wouldn't have heard anything they said._

"_Natsu, this is the biggest job we have ever attempted, if all goes to plan Torched Heaven's name will be spread across the entire country, bringing in new members, new clients, and more chances for chaos, fire and death" Natsu and the grey eyed man's eyes met._

"_Alright then, I guess I can guard her…" he sighed. And the older man turned to leave "Spitfire give me your cards, think I'll play go fish" Natsu said as he left._

"_With yourself?" Spitfire said, glancing from Ayano's bound hands to Natsu. The katana wielding guy had followed after the grey eyed man, and Spitfire had been about to follow suit._

"_Yes, with myself."_

"_Okay" Spitfire handed it over "But aren't you supposed to guard her, make sure she doesn't escape and stuff?"_

_Natsu raised an eyebrow and glanced at her "You're not gonna try and escape are you?" he asked, and there was a threat in his voice._

_Ayano suddenly wondered how she'd ever felt scared of the grey eyed man's calm way of explaining, when she was in the room with someone who could make her dread his rage so easily. She shook her head hurriedly, pink hair swirling from the speed._

_A grin touched his lips, a cruel grin "Good girl."_

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Natsu raised a hand and she stopped.

She knew why. Up ahead a red-orange glow lit the tunnel, there was fire ahead. The tunnel had levelled out and stopped curving, and they were very nearly at their goal.

"Do you know what's in there?" Natsu asked quietly.

"No" she whispered back "I only saw the vault, and how to open it, nothing else."

"Hmm."

"So what do we do?" she asked, when he didn't respond.

Natsu glanced at her and shrugged "Charge in head first?"

Ayano almost sighed, as if she hadn't guessed "Sure, why not. You go first."

He shot her a grin and rushed in.

He emerged into a large hall, a rather long hall and all, and about a quarter of its length in wide, and that was quarter was not insubstantial. Thirty men could stand shoulder to shoulder and walk from one of the hall to the other without obstacle. Pillars capped by bowls of fire burned in hollows all along each wall and the ceiling rose fifty, maybe sixty metres above them, all stone trusses.

But all of that was negligible, because of what stood in the hall.

Three beings, giants standing more than three times Natsu's height, dressed in bronze samurai armour with face masks shaped like grinning demons, looked at him as he looked at them. Each of them bore a different weapon, the one furthest back held a long bow taller that it was, the two stood together bore a katana and a naginata, respectively, tailored to their considerable height.

Behind their helms, fire burned in the place flesh, and Natsu realised what they were with a grin.

Fire Shades.

Ancient flames bound to ancient armour made to last for eternity to give a vessel for flames made to burn for eternity in the shape of beings, humans generally. It was a lost art, its workings, its creation, everything about it, utterly unknown to the modern mage. But some examples still survived, and the corpses of mages often surrounded them. They were skilled fighters, never tired, never weakened, couldn't be wounded and would fight for a millennia, if you could last that long. Needless to say, no one did.

The only way to 'kill' them was to destroy the core, a flame that burned at the heart of their being, and given that they were usually bound to armour, created and enchanted to withstand physical and magical assault, and that the core would be at the 'centre' of the armour it was not a terribly easily task.

"Oh" Ayano fell in behind him, staring up at the giants "That could be bad."

Natsu's grin grew brighter "You take katana, I'll take the others."

"Huh?"

He gave her no more time, and neither did the Fire Shades. Bowman notched an arrow and took aim, but Natsu charged and as the arrow was loose he leapt, the shaft passing between his legs, and he landed still in a run. Flames formed about his wrist and he punched Spearman right in the chest, the armour didn't budge, didn't dent, but that hadn't been Natsu's aim. He might not be able to damage the armour with this level of power, but he could sure as hell lift it.

Spearman was lifted up and sent flying backwards, but he spun and landed on his feet, the naginata he bore held ready, point almost touching the ground.

Ayano stared down her opponent. He was ignoring Natsu for now, focused entirely on her, then charged her at a run.

Summoning up Blazing Supremacy Ayano rolled to avoid his overhead strike which hit the ground but didn't even chip the floor, nor even scratch the blade. He twisted it to its side and slashed and she back flipped over it. She danced forwards and struck with her own straight sword, but it bounced off of the armour, the point not even stabbing in, so she darted back.

He struck twice more, stabbing rather than slashing, and she avoided both of them. Testing a giant like that against her own strength would be stupid, so for now she waited, looked for an opening.

A shout behind her caught her attention "Duck!" Natsu said, distractedly.

She turned and found an arrow flying towards her. Her body reacting without conscious thought her sword was raised and she struck the arrow in flight on the side of the arrowhead, it scraped against her sword and she was pushed aside, but she had affected its flight as well and it twirled wildly and caught the Swordsman in the demonic face plate.

He was knocked down and Ayano grinned, she was vaguely aware of laughs and explosion behinds her from Natsu's battle and thought to herself _'I'm glad you're having fun' _and she was, but Ayano herself was a bit too focused on surviving and winning to enjoy this battle.

She leapt forwards, before Swordsman could get up, and grabbed his facemask, her fingers burned when they scraped the fire that was its flesh, and she pulled them back burned free of skin. Ayano blinked back tears from the pain and stabbed Blazing Supremacy in instead. Swordman's lifted his hand to bat her away but she dodged around its groping fingers until she was stood on the helm with her sword underneath the mouth hole. She placed her whole weight on the sword and heard a creak of metal.

The hand raised up to squash her flat, and Ayano had an idea brought about by circumstance and grinned, she leapt away willing Blazing Supremacy not to vanish as it oft did when removed from her grasp. The hand slammed down where she had been, and on her sword as well, and its strength did what her weight could not and the facemask was levered free, snapping from its restraints.

She willed it and her sword appeared back in her hand, burning a little brighter due to the jubilation she felt from her victory in this bout.

Beneath the mask it had a vaguely human face, its eyes were flattened over though, but it had a nose, admittedly lacking nostrils, no mouth despite the mouth hole, it was like a worn down statue's head turned to flame.

Ayano jumped, forging a spring board of flame beneath her, she spun in the air to avoid Swordsman's wild slash, then brought her blade in a long arc through its face. She spun again so that her feet were flat against the armour over its chest and kicked away, looking back to check he wasn't slashing and to examine the damage.

He was and there was none.

She blocked it mid-air but was thrown by the force of his attack, she hit the ground rolling and rolled into the force, leaping onto her feet and skidding backwards. Her shoes smoked by the end of it, but she had recovered. And it was lucky she had as Swordsman was charging with his blade overhead. He slashed and each time she ducked, danced out of reach, and leapt over the blade. Ayano ran forwards and didn't even need to duck through his legs, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.

Swordsman hadn't been damaged by her attack, not even stunned, unlike Natsu she had no idea what Fire Shades were save the once mention of them one time by someone, that was how vague her knowledge was, so she was working blind. She didn't even know that these things were Fire Shades actually.

She raised her sword up defensively, more to keep it away from her legs than anything else, she wasn't blocking another attack from this guy, not if she could help it.

Ayano blinked as something glinted behind Swordsman, then blinked again as she realised what it was, and she only had the time for those two blinks before it hit. A naginata stabbed through its neck and hit its breastplate, leaving a large dent, and snapping the holds. Swordsman's armour was ripped off and he was cast to the ground from the force.

Glancing over Ayano found Natsu going fist to fist with what had once been Spearman, now lacking his spear, literally fist to fist as their knuckles were pressed together. In a test of strength, between a giant bronze warrior and Natsu, Natsu was the obvious victor. Spearman was cast backwards, falling onto his back and Natsu turned sharply just as Bowman shot another arrow, there were several around the room, all lying on the floor having not pierced the stone. But rather than dodge this one Natsu caught it, how his hands were immediately sliced through, how his arms didn't shatter, how he could survive doing that, Ayano truly had no idea, but he did.

He skidded backwards, leaving bloody smears were his sole had been ripped from his foot by the friction, where his shoes had gone off to Ayano didn't know, but she was suddenly very thankful she was wearing hers, remembering the skid that had left her shoes soles smoking and wincing at the thought of what that would've done to the sole of her foot. Natsu however laughed as the arrow's velocity was stopped by him and him alone, though he had been pushed back. He grabbed the shaft and lobbed it right back, the arrow stabbing through Bowman's eye, not that he seemed to care, but it lodged there.

Then Swordsman was up, his chest laid bare, and Ayano focused.

Natsu had done her a big favour she realised, with the breastplate gone a pulsing heart of flame had been revealed in the centre of its torso. Whether Swordsman realised it was showing and didn't care, or didn't realise and therefore didn't care, Ayano didn't care.

He struck again, his sword coming down from on high. She danced to one side, then raced forwards, using his arm as a ramp, she stabbed forwards for the heart but Swordman's hand lifted from his sword and grabbed her.

Ayano gulped as the finger clutched tighter, then tighter, and then tighter until she couldn't breathe.

Her fingers were clasped around Blazing Supremacy's hilt but the sword couldn't move and couldn't even damage this armour, and each finger was armoured in thick plates. She tried to call for Natsu but heard him whooping and more explosions, he wouldn't hear, and moreover wouldn't care, regardless she had no breath to speak with so it was fruitless.

She felt her bones creak, she felt them struggle against the gripping hands strength, and gritted her teeth.

'_BLAZE!'_ she screamed in her mind, for her mouth could not speak, and Blazing Supremacy exploded.

Ayano was caught up in the blast and sent flying, smashing into a wall, knocking her head on something head, and landed with a thud, and something heavy landed on her, nearly crushing her stomach. She struggled up, coughing, and shoved whatever it was away, she heard heavy footsteps approaching and found Swordsman coming towards, sans one hand, his katana gripped in just one gauntleted fist, then burning hand staying well clear of the sword.

There was a large burn mark on the hilt, and Ayano almost grinned, looks like the big guy could learn from his mistakes, since he learned touching a sword while being a burning monstrosity, and with no armour to guard it, was a sure fire way of damaging the weapon.

The explosion had blown apart his armoured fist, one of its fingers hand landed on her stomach, whether she had hit her head against a different bit of armour or the wall she didn't know, her eyes weren't open at that point and it was difficult when concussed to distinguish between solid metal and solid rock.

A flash of fire consumed her hand and Blazing Supremacy was back in her grip, the blade which had splintered and exploded reformed, her families sword was now hers, almost intrinsically tied into her magic, so much so that she had but to will it and the sword obeyed. She thought then of her father, carrying the sword in a box, and almost laughed. Blazing Supremacy's sheathe was her, it dwelled within her, her magic. She didn't need a physical sheathe, nor a box, it was entirely hers, as much a part of her as an arm or a leg.

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_There was a bruise on her cheek, her hair a mess, and there was dirt on her face. Her dress was torn and bedraggled, filthy as only clothes that hadn't been changed for a week, and been used in a dirty cell for that time, could be._

_Her father had come, alone as he had promised, and there were tears in her eyes as she saw him approach "Daddy" she whimpered when he was close enough._

_Her father was not an attractive man, he was short, his black hair had already started balding in places, and he was rotund in both head and stomach, if he had been thinner his head would've look disproportionate to the rest of him, far too large and round. He wore a black suit that was dirtied and stained in places, from the trek it took to get here, a clearing a fair distance outside his lands but not that far._

"_Hush darling" he said, his double chin wobbling, sweat dripping down his forehead "You'll be safe soon, I promise."_

"_The sword" Charmain said, his voice stern as ever._

"_Here" he said, lifting the box underneath his arm._

"_Open it" Charmain demanded, his hand coming to rest on Ayano's shoulder, a clear threat._

_He did, the lid opened revealing Blazing Supremacy resting amidst crushed velvet. The blade was shiny steel, but it seemed cold, as if it was meant to be hot._

_Charmain appraised it with his eyes then shoved her forwards "Ayano Fireheart, bring the sword."_

_She stepped forwards on stumbling feet, her father nodded to her, lifting the box, and her bound hands were raised so that she could take it._

_And as she did the blade transformed._

_Flames ran down its length, and the blade itself sung with the roar of fire. She had seen it do that before, for her father, but only when he used magic on the sword, only when he chanted and cast a blade upon it. Then the flames died away, leaving the sword smoking and glowing red hot. Ayano grinned and walked back, ignoring her father's astonishment. The ropes binding her hands burned away, and she kicked off the broke high heeled shoes she was often forced to wear at home, letting her bare feet get mucky and grassy._

_And then she stood with them, with Torched Heaven, with Charmain and Alastor and Spitfire, Gauldry, Emberz, Quintus, Rafe and others still whose names she did not know._

"_Wha… what?" her father looked at her, then at Charmain._

"_Two units of Rune Knights won't be reporting in tomorrow" Natsu said, walking past her father and towards them. There was a cut on his forehead, a few more on his arms, a nasty looking one on his leg, and stab wound in his abdomen, but he didn't wince, was grinning even._

_Ayano gave Natsu a wicked smile, which he returned._

_Torched Heaven had given her something, and promised more._

_She had learned magic there, first by reading books in the library under Natsu's less than careful watch, then Alastor found out and she was afraid for her life. Instead he helped her, taught her things, assisted her in learning. Spitfire helped too, even Natsu when he could be bothered, though his advice was less useful due to the nature of his magic, less formula more raw instinct. Charmain found out, a plan was formed, and Ayano, drunk on power she never knew existed, accepted._

_She was supposed to give Blazing Supremacy over to them, but she knew now that she wouldn't, the sword was hers, it had taken her magic and fused itself with her, as it was supposed to be used, and now it belonged to her. Somehow she doubted anyone would mind, for her learning speed and skill had impressed many, even Alastor whose level she felt she could never reach, even Charmain who Alastor honestly believed to be stronger than he._

_Natsu hadn't given a shit, and he was perhaps the person she liked the most. He was so rude and abrasive, then childish and silly, and he would switch between violence and cheer with a randomness that astounded her. He was unlike anyone she had ever met in her world of politicking, of politeness, of respect, and it was all a load of bollocks to him._

_Before she met Natsu she hadn't known, and wouldn't have dared use, expletives but now she felt she had a very solid grounding in swear words, all thanks to Natsu._

_They knew her father had summoned Rune Knights, that once his daughter was safe they'd be set upon, so they set upon first, sending their best, Natsu, into the fray, and of course he returned victorious, if there was something her time in Torched Heaven had taught her, besides magic and the freedom of a life without fancy ball gowns and politicking, it was that Natsu always emerged victorious._

"_Ayano" her father said, looking at her disbelief. He didn't want to believe. He understood but refused to understand._

_And Ayano grinned "See you later, pops" she said, derision dripping off of every word._

_Twirling her sword in her hand she turned first and walked away, the others soon following, Natsu walking by her side. A world without rules, for someone like her, who had lived in a cosseted world full of rules, such a world would either terrify or entice her._

_In truth, it had done both._

_Next to her Natsu chuckled._

"_What?" Ayano asked, confused and a little embarrassed._

_He grinned viciously "I knew you were a good girl."_

_Even Charmain chuckled in the raucous laughter that followed, but Ayano's was the loudest, it echoed through the night, reaching her father collapsed on his knees behind her._

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Her eyes snapped open and she faced down her foe. Now wasn't the time for reminiscing, this was a battle, and that meant she could live or die, win or lose.

Swordsman swung clumsily, only having one hand to wield a weapon meant for two, it wasn't strength he lacked it was balance. Ayano leapt over it, wincing as her bruised stomach stung painfully. She charged, ducking beneath another clumsy swing, the using her sword to turn a downwards slash to the ground, though it jarred her arm, all the while moving forwards. Stepping on the flat edge she leapt forwards, her sword stabbing out in front of her.

Its hand came around again to stop her, so she turned in mid-air and used Blazing Supremacy's flat to touch the hand and lever herself over it. Its hand collided with its chest and Ayano charged again, its sword raised but he couldn't slash so close to himself, at least not without changing the angle, and while he did that Ayano got even closer.

Blazing Supremacy stabbed through flame and touched the pulsing inferno at the core of its being.

The flames writhed suddenly, pulling back into the core which twisted and compressed. Ayano blinked as it burned bright "Oh" she said, realising "Shit" she said, realising.

It exploded.

But the flames never reached Ayano, they were all dragged towards someone just in front of her, who silhouetted Ayano could see against the raging inferno. She heard him gulp them down, until they were all down. Then he burped.

"Tasty" Natsu said, licking his lips "You alright there?" he asked Ayano, looking back at the girl.

"I'm good" she said, smiling appreciatively, whether he had saved her purposefully or just wanted the snack he had saved her.

The armour creaked and began tumbling forwards, Natsu punched it and sent it flying away, scattering into pieces. The other two lay empty as well.

Not for the first time Ayano marvelled the power gap between them. In the time it had taken her to defeat one and nearly end up dead, if Natsu hadn't eaten that explosion she'd be a goner, he'd beaten two, and though he looked worse for wear having lost his shirt, his shoes and gained more than a few nasty injuries that were bleeding quite profusely, Ayano knew that they were all superficial, worse than they looked, and even if they weren't Natsu wouldn't care he'd just keep going.

"Another door?" Natsu said, drawing her from her thoughts.

Ayano looked at it, it was at the far end of the hall, redwood, marked with the Fireheart family crest, in fact it was almost a carbon copy of what the front door had looked like. She chuckled "Circles within circles" Ayano mused. It wasn't that this door looked like the front door, it was that the front door was designed to look like this one.

Natsu raised an eyebrow at her but didn't ask. He was happy. That had been a good fight, not the best but fun and he got to eat at the end of it. He gave Ayano a grin "Shall we?" he asked.

Ayano grinned right back "We shall" she agreed.

The door swung open silently, no creak despite not being attended to in many years, inside was a simple stone room, in the centre was a pedestal and upon it was a long item wrapped in black cloth.

Natsu stepped in, Ayano close behind.

They approached the pedestal together and Ayano reached forwards, before hesitating, she cast aside any hesitation and pulled the cloth away revealing beneath it…

The staff.

It was glorious, a long shaft of redwood capped with the same grey steel flecked with red that her sword was, the cap was shaped like a twisting flame, same as Blazing Supremacy's Pommel, and at the bottom was a spike, also red flecked grey steel, whether for walking or for killing that spike would likely be useful.

Ayano felt it then, a hum. Blazing Supremacy was humming. The staff too was humming. She reached out slowly, that staff was… it was…

"So this is it?" Natsu picked it and gave it a spin.

Ayano blinked. What had she just been thinking? It was like she had been in a trance as was only now waking "Yeah" she said, shaking her head to remove the cobwebs that had gathered there, in her mind that is "That's it, the Fireheart's legendary staff, Burning Dominance."

"Burning Dominance? You guys like double barrelled names, huh? Still, it don't look like much" he mused fingering the spike. It stabbed easily into his finger letting red blood flow from the wound "I wonder why the old bastard wanted it? Hmm, oh well?" he swung it onto his shoulder, leaving it to rest there "Lets head back shall we."

Ayano nodded "Yeah" she smiled "Lets."

They were almost across the hall before she stopped "Natsu" he stopped and looked back at her, she was a few feet behind him now, he hadn't noticed her stop so kept walking, only noticing when she spoke "Can…" she licked her lips nervously "Can we stop somewhere… on the way back?"

"Sure."

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Ayano stared at them.

Three graves, forty more in the graveyard behind her, but these three meant more. Made of red marble, one marked with a sword, the other a flower, and the last a rabbit, above the name and dates.

Her father, her mother, and her baby sister, just three years old.

Natsu stood next to her, the staff still leaning on his shoulders. She didn't know what he felt standing here, bored, hungry, annoyed, or did he not feel anything at all? Maybe he didn't care where they were, what they were looking at, She honestly didn't know.

"You know" Ayano started slowly "I learned two years ago, about a year after I joined, that… that you went back, after we had all gone, and killed them all."

Natsu said nothing, made no move, inside he was wondering _'Was that a question? Should I offer confirmation? ARGH, I don't know what to do!'_

"Did Charmain order you too?" she took the choice from him, to his immense relief.

He nodded.

"Why?"

Natsu shrugged "Loose ends, plus your father betrayed us, he brought in the Rune Knights, our agreement was he meet us alone, Charmain did plan on leaving him alone, but then you joined the guild. He couldn't really have a father hunting his daughter drama playing out in his guild."

Was it her fault then? She doubted it was an accusation, just a statement of fact, her joining had changed things, changed the plan "You don't think he was screwed over enough" she continued despite that "having his daughter betray him for her kidnappers?"

He shrugged again "I don't… care" he admitted "He was just a target, I kill him" he pointed at the grave next to her fathers "I killed her" the next again "I killed her, in fact all the people I'd killed up until then couldn't fit in this cemetery, all the people I've killed by now… well" he grinned "it's quite a few."

"You know, at first" she said slowly "At first I was angry. With you, with Charmain, with Torched Heaven, you killed my family. But… then then I realised I had no right to be. I betrayed them, I mean at least you just killed them, I wounded them and left it to fester" she paused "And then, I just slowly stopped caring, to the point where I haven't thought about them all year, until now, until I come back here" she sighed and shook her head "Natsu, you know something?"

"Yea,h I know something."

She smiled "Natsu…" Natsu turned to face her, noticing she had turned to face him "I have something I need to tell you… I…" she looked up, meeting his gaze, her face red "I like you!"

For a moment there was silence.

"I like you too" Natsu said, patting her on the head "But we better get back you know, I'm starting to get hungry" and he stepped back and started heading back out of the cemetery.

Ayano felt like she had just shattered. She had worked up her courage, said what she felt and he didn't understand at all. Tear began forming in her eyes as the pain in her heart got worse. Then she smiled. A true, genuine smile, the pain stopped and she hurt no longer, wasn't offended, didn't even care that much "Natsu, you moron" she mumbled, grinning.

But she knew, anyone who took the scarf wearing moron for an actual moron was a moron.

* * *

Ayano's backstory has been nicely dealt with, don't you think? I doubt you think to be honest, I know how I feel about OC characters in other peoples stories, but I have unfortunately fallen for the OC characters in mine, meaning I really like them and want to include them. Anyway one of the things I liked about Fairy, especially at the start, was the 'character history' arcs. Galuna Island, Phantom Lord, Tower of Heaven, he covered all the main characters histories in the first hundred odd chapters. Anyway I liked those arcs.

Now I'm going to rant about something, that I've ranted about before in my story Shade: Blood Ties.

Reviews.

More particularly the people who favourite and or follow a fic but don't review it. Why? Seriously at least review when you favourite and or follow, it doesn't take that much effort to type out, 'I like it' or 'Good' or even just 'I'm following/favouriting this'. To showcase more starkly I have less reviews than followers, and that's not taking into account anonymous reviews and repeat reviews (people who've reviewed more than one chapter), this is quite common on FF and I really don't think it should be. Think of it like this, favourite/follows are like thumbs up on Youtube, they mean absolutely nothing, you're faceless, you're no one, a review is like a 'reply'. You're interacting with me rather than pressing a button and mindlessly saying you like it which I don't recognise as you actually telling me you like it, and I certainly don't recognise you not following/favouriting as you telling me you don't like it.

Basically if you like this story please review, I'll never hold it hostage to reviews, I don't care if all my reviewers fuck off I'm writing this for the story, for the idea in my head, not you lot (no offence), but try to look at it from my point of view, what reason do I have for continuing this story? The idea, good, my reviewers, very nice... what else? Nothing. There is little beside sentimental bullshit keeping my writing this fic, so try and give a bit more sentimental bullshit to this sentimental bullshitter and review.

By the way the toodles is a lie.


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